Who Are You?
by clairlz
Summary: Mick goes on a case in Neptune at the request of Hanna's mom. This is a redo so you've probably read it. I just finally got around to fixing it. The story line as a whole will always be the same. It just needed work. Will try and post the rest of this story over the next few days. This mostly concerns Mick/Beth Josef Logan/Veronica
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Not mine….Owned by CBS….WB and I think a few others….Love both shows…just want to have some fun.**

 **This is a crossover between Moonlight and Veronica Mars. In my world, VM ended after the 2nd Season because I think that was when Veronica and Logan were the happiest and they are all that really mattered in that show anyway. :)**

 **I've had some enquiries as to if I'm going to repost my stories and this series is always the one their looking for.**

 **I'm fixing this entire series. I'll post one section at a time as I get it done. I wrote these so long ago the errors are embarrassing. I'm sure it's not perfect but it has to better than before. I'm not changing the overall plot but I am adding and subtracting things that were skipped over in the beginning or should have been edited out to start with. Hope everyone still enjoys it.**

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Mick is in his office after having returned from a weeklong case that took him out of town. He opens the file and stares at the pictures. If he hadn't seen it for himself, he wouldn't have believed it. He thinks back to the start of the week and how a single phone call from the other side of the country changed so much.

 _ **1 week ago**_

It's early evening and Mick is going over his messages to see if he needs to make any appointments with prospective clients. He's just gotten up and as his routine, he listens to his messages, makes notes on what needs to be done, and has a tall glass of A positive. He smiles as he listens to a message from Beth telling him she hopes to get her work done early so she can come by and see him. It's nice to see her enjoying life again. Losing Josh took a lot out of her. It was hard for him seeing her so unhappy. He's glad she's forgiven him for not turning Josh and forgiven herself for, well for not loving Josh as much as he loved her. In the end, Mick is counting himself lucky she's coming back into his life. He could easily have lost her for good.

Next comes a call from a woman named Griffith who says she's calling from Vermont. She doesn't explain what her problem is, but he can hear the worry and fear, edging towards panic in her voice. Whatever it turns out to be he would bet even money it has something to do with someone she loves. She insists that he call her day or night whenever he gets her message. He glances at the clock and realizes if he's going to make the call he better do it now, as the time is creeping towards midnight in Vermont.

"Mrs. Griffith? This is Mick St. John; I'm a private investigator in California. You left a message for me to call you?" He can hear her quietly crying through the phone.

"Yes, thank you so much for getting back to me. I'm at my wits end. I just don't know what else to do."

"Why don't you tell me the problem and I'll see if I can help." He says gently.

Yes, yes. I'm sure you can." She says.

Mrs. Griffith tells him that she and her husband moved from California a few months ago. The family moved away because her husband was trying to kick a cocaine habit and her daughter had a boyfriend that was a bad influence on her. So the family moved across country to get a clean start. The clean start didn't work exactly as she hoped. Her husband couldn't kick his coke habit and their divorce is final in two weeks. "Mr. St. John this whole thing, the move, my husband's problems, our divorce, has all been a lot for my daughter to deal with and now she's gone."

"Are you sure she's not with her father?" Mick asks quietly.

"No, that's the one thing I am sure of. He's in court ordered rehab, again. I've checked with the people in charge and they assure me he is in the facility, and she is most certainly not there with him. They have no reason to lie. Hanna hasn't adjusted well. Since the move she hasn't made many friends and the few she has made aren't close enough they would hide her. I'm fairly certain she's on her way to California to see that miserable, spoiled, rich trust fund trash of a boyfriend."

Mick thinks about it for a minute. He doesn't usually go after runaways. It's too damned heartbreaking when you have to tell their parents you couldn't find them, or their child is dead. This might be a bit easier though, if the boyfriend has money, he almost certainly has a paper trail. It shouldn't be too hard to follow it and see if Hanna has hooked up with him. With any luck, he should be able to find Hanna if she has come back to California. "Alright Mrs. Griffith I'll see what I can do. Give me everything you know about the boyfriend and I'll check and see if there is any sign of Hanna."

"Oh, thank goodness. I don't have a picture of him but you shouldn't have much trouble finding him." She rushes on hoping he won't change his mind. "His name is Logan Echolls. He lives south of L.A. in Neptune. He's always in trouble. I'm sure he has a record with the local police. I don't know if he still has it but when we lived there he drove a yellow X-Terra."

Mick swings around to his computer and brings up his document folder. "I'll also need some documentation I can show the local cops so they'll know I'm looking for your minor daughter on your behalf. Do you have an email account?"

"Yes, I do." She rattles off her email address.

"That's good. I have forms I will email you. Print them out, fill them out, and then fax them back to me. I'll give you the number. Hopefully the cops will be a little more receptive to my snooping if I have a hard copy showing I'm working at your behest. Also could you fax or email to me the most recent picture you have of Hanna? It's better to have a complete picture of her that's a couple years old than one that doesn't show all of her face. Is she likely to color her hair or cut it?"

"No, I don't think so. She said one thing Logan always liked about her was her long blond hair."

Mick nods. "Good. It will make it easier to spot her if she hasn't altered her appearance. You should report her missing to your local police and ask them to send an alert to the Neptune police. All those things will make my job easier and hopefully I'll be able to find her faster."

"Oh, thank you Mr. St. John. I don't have a fax here, but the post office does and I'll be waiting for Hank to open first thing in the morning. I'll get the paperwork back to you. Right after that, I'll go see the police chief. This is a small town and he knows the kinds of problems I've been having. I'm sure he'll do exactly as you request. Please call me if there is anything more I can do."

"I will and Mrs. Griffin, it will probably take a day or two for me to find anything out, but I will call you one way or the other as soon as I know anything." Mick hangs up the phone. He looks up and smiles at Beth as she walks through the office door.

xxxxxxxxxx

The next afternoon Mick looks over the picture of the 17-year-old girl. _Cute kid. Hope she's okay._ He replaces the picture in the file and calls Josef. He told Beth the night before he's leaving town for a day or two but he always like to touch base with Josef. He never knows when the shit might hit the fan, and he might need a helping hand. Josef has connections in the most interesting places and then there's Beth. He hears the click as the ringing stops and the phone goes to voice mail. "Hey, just wanted to let you know I've got a case out of town. I shouldn't be but a couple days. I don't expect any trouble but….you know, ah…sometimes Beth gets in over her head. If you could kind of keeps tabs on her, but maybe not let her know, I'd sure appreciate it."

Two hours later Josef finishes his business and listens to his messages. He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. He doesn't know why Mick didn't just take Blondie with him. The woman is head over heels in love with him.

Mick has a contact just outside Neptune that will let him use an extra freezer if the case turns into something that lasts longer than a couple days. He packs the Benz and he's on his way. He idly thinks it might be nice to get Beth down there for a nice holiday if he gets lucky and Hanna shows up right away. He and Beth could spend some time on a moonlit beach. He's sure she'd like that, and he knows he would.

Later that night Mick walks into the sheriff's office to do his duty and report in that he's in the area. With the money that flows through these little seaside towns he doesn't need to get cross wise with the sheriff's office this far from home with no backup. In a town this size, the populous usually votes the sheriff into office and cops have a vested interest in keeping local money happy. He also wonders if maybe he can see if this Echolls kid has a rap sheet.

Mick looks down at the nameplate for the deputy who seems to be in charge of the night shift, Deputy Leo D'Amato. Mick pulls out his wallet and removes his P.I. License and a business card. "Officer D'Amato, I'm Mick St. John, this is a copy of my P.I. license. I'm in town on a case and thought it best to check in." The two men shake hands.

Leo takes Mick's P.I. license and business card and writes down some numbers. He hands the I.D. back to Mick. "Mr. St. John if you could sit over there for a couple minutes I'll be right with you."

Mick nods and takes a seat. "Sure."

Leo turns his back to Mick and makes a call. He has no way of knowing that Mick can hear the call just fine from where he's sitting. Leo calls Carl Davis on the LAPD and asks him about Mick. Luckily, after Mick tried his best to save Josh's life he's in pretty good with Carl and Carl gives him the thumbs up to Leo. Leo hangs up and motions Mick over. "That was a friend of mine on the LAPD. He says you're a good guy so maybe I can help you with whatever brings you to Neptune. If you don't mind, is what your working on involve one of our 09ers?" Mick looks at the deputy rather confused.

"09ers?" Mick asks.

"Sorry, local slang for the rich people who live in that zip code. The town is divided kind of up the middle poor people on one side and 09ers on the other."

Mick thinks about it for a minute. "Yes, I've been told the kid I'm looking for has money, a trust fund."

Leo sighs. "Can you tell me which one? At least maybe we can keep things from getting out of hand, which means from getting the sheriff in trouble with his benefactors."

"I can tell you but I want something in return."

"What's that?" Leo asks.

Mick smiles grimly. "The kids rap sheet if he has one."

Leo sighs. _Oh good. This is one of the good 09ers._ Leo laughs but there is no humor in it. "I'll do what I can but unlike the poor kids in this town the 09ers tend to get their records scrubbed. It depends on who it is."

"The kids name is Logan Echolls." Mick watches the deputy's face change.

Leo runs his hand through his hair. "Great, that's just great. What's Logan done now? I hope that it's nothing dangerous or so illegal even his money can't get him out of it. If he's dragged Veronica into some damn felony…."

Mick looks at him quizzically. "Veronica?"

"She's Logan's girlfriend, but not a 09er. Her father is a local P.I. and she works for him quite a bit and tends to get herself into…difficult situations."

"As far as I know neither one has done anything. I got a call from a woman in Vermont trying to track her daughter. She thinks the girl maybe running back here to see Echolls. Apparently they had a thing when she lived here."

Leo lets out a sigh of relief. "Oh, yea, Hannah. Nice kid and she seemed to keep Logan in check. We got an advisory fax on her this morning. I hope she isn't coming back for Logan. She's going to be disappointed if she makes it this far."

"I take it this kid, Logan, gets in a fair amount of trouble." Mick says

Leo looks a bit embarrassed. "First, I have to give you full disclosure. I dated his current girlfriend before they got together. My concern about Logan getting into trouble has more to do with how it affects Veronica. To be fair to Logan the one time I had to bust him for murder he was innocent and even if he hadn't been it would certainly have been self-defense. He has a temper but it's getting better over time."

Leo gets up, and pulls a file out of the cabinet. He tosses it down on the desk in front of Mick. "You won't find much there. Most of Logan's trouble started after his first girlfriend was murdered. He kind of went of the tracks for about 18 months and most of that was before his 18th birthday so it won't be in there. His juvenile records are sealed. Prior to Lily Kane getting killed we broke up a party at their place now and then but mostly he wasn't such a bad kid."

"He's straightened up?" Mick asks

Leo leans back in his chair. "More like all the shoes have dropped on him that can and he can breathe again. Logan's a strange kid. One minute he's doing stupid stuff like burning down the community pool. We didn't get him for that but I'm sure he was responsible. Then 6 months later, he's charging a kid with a gun that is trying to kill his girlfriend. From what I've seen Logan has a temper but he'd go to the mat for you if you were someone he cared for."

"You don't think he's going to be happy to see Hannah? Is he likely to do something to hurt her?" Mick asks

Leo shakes his head "It's not that he won't be happy to see her, it's just that well…. you'd have to know Logan and Veronica to understand. I can probably say without much reservation that Veronica is the love of his life. He'll try like hell not to do anything that will hurt her. On the other hand if Veronica thinks that Hannah needs their help she'll do it because at one time Hannah was important enough to Logan that she would travel the country to get to see him." Leo leans forward. "I mentioned that Veronica's dad is a P.I. He was the sheriff here for quite some time and he's good. He taught Veronica pretty much everything he knows. She's smart and she's about as stubborn a woman as you're likely to meet and she has a curiosity streak a mile wide."

"She's not blond is she?" Mick thinks of Beth.

"Yea, she is. Why do you ask?"

Mick smiles "I've got one just like her at home."

"It's hard to imagine another one like Veronica. If I were you, I'd call her dad's office, and make an appointment with her to give her the heads up. She and Logan may see that Hannah getting here and getting hurt isn't in anyone's interest and help you head her off. If not, you haven't lost anything because you'll never get close to them any other way. If you ask around town about either of them, Veronica will know it 10 minutes after you've asked your first question. It's a small city and she has it wired pretty well, on both sides of the tracks. Even the leader of the local biker gang owes her more than one favor."

Mick nods. "I'll think about it. One last thing, do you have a picture of Logan from a booking or something?"

"It's not in the file?" Leo asks surprised.

Mick picks up the single sheet of paper from the file and waves it back and forth. "Nope."

Leo turns to his computer. He taps the keys for a moment and pulls up Logan's booking picture. He turns the monitor around for Mick to see. Mick recovers fast but he's amazed. This kid is almost a dead ringer for Josef. "Could you…could you print a copy of that up for me?"

Leo senses more than sees that something is off. "Sure. You ok?"

"Yea, he just reminds me of someone and I can't think who it is." Mick hedges not wanting to mention Josef.

"Maybe it's his mom or dad. They were both on TV and in the movies, although I've never seen any real family resemblance."

"Yea, maybe that's it." Mick says.

Leo hands Mick the print out and Mick gets up to leave. "You wouldn't know where I could get a decent hotel room with good internet access?"

Leo nods. "Your best bet is the Neptune Grand. We have some small chains that are clean but they don't have reliable internet access yet. The Grand is kind of upscale but it's worth it if you like a good meal and internet access that doesn't drop off every five minutes. Go straight out the main drag towards the water, you can't miss it."

Mick and Leo shake hands. "Thanks for all your help."

"No problem. Let me know if there's anything else I can do." Leo says.

Xxxxxxxx

 **So here you have it the first redo.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Not mine….Owned by CBS….WB and I think a few others….Love both shows…just want to have some fun.**

xxxxxxxx

Mick decides to try the approach deputy Leo suggested. He calls Mars Investigation and leaves a message for Veronica Mars. He doesn't think he will get a call from her until tomorrow so he decides to do some information gathering from his room. He rides the elevator down to the plush lobby and gets a newspaper from the concierge. It's always interesting the amount of information available in the local newspaper. If he doesn't have any luck with Veronica, he might visit the newspaper and see if they have an archive or maybe the library has older copies stored digitally. From the deputy's description of Veronica Mars, Mick hopes he doesn't have to find a way to get around her to get to her boyfriend. He's on his way back to the bank of elevators and sees a younger version of Josef crossing the lobby. Mick has to give himself a mental shake so he doesn't stand there with his mouth hanging open. Logan has a small blond hugged to his side. They are laughing and chatting as they cross the lobby to the elevator. They haven't noticed him yet. Mick follows them into the elevator. He can sense the blond hesitate when he enters the elevator. He senses her heart rate is escalating. He can see her watching him out of the corner of her eye. He isn't sure if it's a coincidence or if she planned it but they are both standing next to the buttons.

She turns to him and smiles brightly "Hey, which floor?" and her hand hovers over the buttons. He notices she hasn't pushed one for their floor yet.

He smiles. She is good. He decides to go for broke. "Veronica?" She narrows her eyes at him and backs herself up to Logan. Mick notices her hand snake into her purse. He wonders at her obvious paranoia. He backs up trying to present less of a threat. He can hear Logan whispering into her ear to slow down. She doesn't have to be afraid. He's here for her and he will protect her. Logan is running his hands up and down her arms trying to calm her.

The doors have closed and she pushes the stop button.

Mick holds up his hands palms up so she can see his hands are empty. He tries to look as harmless as possible. "Hey, I didn't mean to startle you. Deputy D'Amato said to call you. I left a message on your dad's business phone tonight. I'm a P.I. from Los Angeles. I happen to recognized Mr. Echolls and thought maybe I could make an appointment tonight since you were here. I'm sorry; just call me when you can tomorrow."

Veronica visibly relaxes at the mention of Leo's name. She's still holding the stop button. "Please just stand there for a minute." Mick looks at Logan who is still trying to calm her and watching her every move. Veronica pulls her phone out and Mick sees the Taser laying in the top of her purse, that he's sure she had her hand on a minute ago. Now that's not something he'd like to be on the other end of but better than a bullet. Veronica punches her phone and talks for a minute studying him as she does. Leo confirms his story and she hangs up. She visibly relaxes. "Sorry about that. I'm a little…jumpy these days."

"Hey it's ok. As I said, you can call me tomorrow." Mick takes out a business card and hands it to her. I'm staying here in the hotel."

Veronica slides the card in her purse. "You said you recognized Logan, how?"

Mick looks a little sheepish. He takes Logan's booking photo out of his pocket and hands it to her.

Veronica is a bit surprised since she pulled all the hard copies out of Logan's police file and she thought she deleted all the computer copies when her dad was still Sheriff.

Logan looks over her shoulder "Not one of my best photo shoots. Notice the bruising and blood. It doesn't make for a great head shot." He's trying to sound off hand but Mick can hear the tightness in his voice. This was not a good time for him.

Veronica looks up at Mick. "Mr. St. John…. I'd just as soon get this over with. You said you were staying here. Do you mind if we meet in your room in about twenty minutes?"

Mick nods "Yea, that's fine. I'm in 603." Veronica pulls the stop button out and pushes the 6th floor button.

Mick gets off on six and goes to his room. He figures Veronica wants to do some investigating of her own before they meet.

Veronica watches Mick get off the elevator and walk down the hall to his room as the elevator's doors close. She turns to Logan and hides in his arms. She buries her face in his shoulder. He knows she's close to crying but she won't let herself. He wishes she'd just let go. He really needs to get her out of Neptune for a while. He wishes he could talk her into even a day trip to Catalina. "You know, we don't have to do this tonight. The guy said he would meet tomorrow. Just because he had one of my stellar portraits doesn't mean I'm in over my head."

Veronica smiles up at him through unshed tears. "Logan I don't think you did anything. I trust you. I just don't trust the rest of the world. If someone is coming after you, I want to know why." They enter his suite and she immediately goes to her computer and starts doing all the searches she can on Mick St. John. "Wow. This guy is a big time P.I. in L.A., but from everything the L.A. papers say it looks like he's one of the good guys."

"What do you mean big time?" Logan asks.

She points to her laptop. "Get this; according to the papers, he went above and beyond to try and save the life of a deputy DA when a drug lord shot him. They say he's helped them in several other cases, most recently with the murder of Tierney Taylor." Veronica smiles, "Also the gossip columnists have him romantically hooked up with that reporter on BuzzWire."

"Beth Turner?" Logan pipes up a little too quickly. Veronica looks up at him and narrows her eyes. He shrugs and smiles a little embarrassed. "What can I say? If I have to watch the news, I like to watch hot blonds. You're the one that said I needed to know what was going on in the world and I should pay attention."

Veronica smiles and slowly shakes her head. That's her Logan.

"Anyway, he seems on the up and up. Leo said he called a cop he trusts in LA and the guy gave him a good read. I think we should go down and find out what's up. Like I said if someone's going to take a run at you I want to know what's coming." Veronica takes his hand and leads him to the door.

Mick hears a knock on the door. Well, only 10 minutes. She's good. He did the same searches on her that he figures she was doing on him. He also ran as much as he could on Logan. Funny thing is there are no pictures of Logan on the net. There are a few pictures of her from newspaper accounts but none of him. It's as if someone is trying to erase all trace of Logan from the internet. Mick gets nothing but broken links anywhere a picture might have been. You would think the rich son of movie stars would have pictures plastered all over the place.

Mick opens the door and lets them in. Now that Mick can see the two of them in better light, he sees that this kid is about 4 or 5 years younger than Josef was when he was turned. There are differences but they are subtle. There is also of course a real difference behind the eyes. Josef never gives anything away. He's a blank slate when he wants to be. That's what 400 years does for you or to you depending on your point of view. This kid has it all written in his eyes.

Mick's room has a small sitting room that has a table and four chairs. He motions for them to sit down. Mick smiles "Get all your searches done?"

Veronica nods. "Yea, you?"

Mick stands across from them. "Pretty much. I'm curious though as to who's scrubbing Logan's pictures off the net?"

Veronica looks down for a minute. Logan looks at her curiously. "Veronica?"

She shrugs, "Mac has a crawler looking for any pictures of you and erasing them off their servers. I… just thought that the more you could fade from any connection to your father the better. If it's not what you want I can get her to stop it."

He laughs. "You know me. I could care less. I got more than my fill of that Hollywood bullshit when I was growing up. But why didn't you tell me?"

She takes his hand and gives it a tender squeeze. "I had her start it when my motives may not have been quite so noble."

He nods. He knows then that she started it when she still didn't trust him and didn't know what was around the next corner.

Mick smiles to himself, Ryder does the same thing for Josef but with Josef, it's just plain paranoia.

Mick sits down with a file in his hand he lays it on the table and opens it up to the emailed photo he got of Hanna from her mother.

Veronica and Logan sit down across from him. They both look from the file to each other. Logan breaks the silence. "Hanna? What's Hannah got to do with this?"

Mick senses real confusion from Logan. He doesn't think he knows anything about her disappearance.

Mick taps her picture. "She disappeared five days ago. Her mom figures she's headed this way."

"But why?" Logan asks.

Veronica smiles at him. "For you, you lunk head." Veronica shakes her head.

"I'd like to head her off and send her home before she gets here…I'd hate to see her get needlessly hurt…." Mick trails off

Logan is looking a little upset, worrying about this hurting Veronica and Hannah. "Yea, that sounds like a good idea to me. I mean I'm not….I liked her but…you know." And he nervously trails off like Mick did.

Veronica gets up and faces the two of them. "Good grief. That's a really bad idea."

"You think her coming here and finding you and Logan together is good for her?" Mick is confused.

"No, I think that she needs to talk to Logan so she can say good-bye and get some closure or she's going to keep running. You know what they did to her?"

Mick shakes his head. "It sounds like I didn't get the whole picture."

Veronica snorts. "I'm sure you didn't. They shipped her off in the middle of the night and she never got to say good-bye or anything, not to Logan, not to any of her friends. She and I may have not been best buds but there were a lot of kids who liked her. She was….nice. I know her family was a mess because of her dad, and Logan wasn't exactly a prize at that time."

Logan scowls at her and she laughs. "You weren't, but if they were going to make those kinds of changes in her life, it could have been handled so it was less jarring." Veronica turns to Logan. "She loves you, doesn't she?"

He just nods. "Veronica, I know I didn't start that relationship out with the best of intentions but I really did end up caring for her."

"I know. It's ok. Don't worry I'm not upset. You need to talk to her though so she can know that you're ok and that she needs to go home and move on." Veronica turns to Mick. "I have an idea. Did Hanna's mom give you her cell number?"

"Yea, but she's not answering any calls."

"She will, if she sees the number is Logan's."

Mick nods. That makes sense. "So Logan calls her to say that he knows she's missing and asks her where she's at. If she is headed this way he makes plans to meet her and lets her down gently and she goes home."

"That would be the plan." Veronica agrees.

All night Mick has been watching these two with great interest. He's glad that he took the deputy's advice. They're turning out to be more help than he would have guessed. The dynamic between them is very interesting. They move with great care. They are never far from one another. Mick noticed in the lobby before he approached them they were at ease and seemed to be very happy and carefree. As soon as he, as the unknown entered the picture both of them went on defense in posture and in how they relate to each other. They seem very protective of each other. He has no doubt that taking them both on might be a real challenge for a human.

"You want to try it now?" Mick asks.

Logan shrugs. "Sure. I really hope she's not doing this to see me."

Mick flips through the file. "Here's her number. Try to call and see if she answers."

Logan takes a deep breath and punches up the number. "Hello? Hannah? Yea, it's me. Where are you? You're kidding." Logan points down and holds up three fingers. "You want to see me? Yea, I think that's probably a good idea. Stay where you are. I'll be there in a couple minutes." He hangs up.

Logan takes a deep breath. "She's down on the third floor. She got in this morning. V…. I don't want to hurt her."

Veronica rubs his arm trying to comfort him. "I know you don't, but she has to go home and you're the only one she's going to listen to."

Logan snorts. "Yea, cuz I'm such a model of common sense."

She hits him lightly. "Come on Logan quit stalling. I know it's no fun but unless you are dumping me for her that's the only thing that works." Logan stands up and pulls her up into his arms. Mick gets up from the table and goes to the window. He turns his back to them to try and give them some privacy but he can hear Logan quietly whispering to Veronica how much he loves her. Finally, he lets out a sigh. "Ok I'm going. Are you staying here?"

"Yea. I don't think I'll add much to the conversation. Don't worry. I'll be fine. I've got Mr. Snappy with me." She smiles at him and pats him on the butt as he moves towards the door.

"Wait a minute." Mick hands Logan one of his cards. "I would appreciate it if once you get her to agree to go home you could mention that I'm here with a plane ticket and a ride to the airport for her. Have her call me and I'll make arrangements to give her a lift."

Logan nods and leaves.

Mick looks at Veronica curiously. "Mr. Snappy?"

Veronica pulls out her Taser and makes it buzz. "Yea, Mr. Snappy."

Mick laughs and shakes his head. "If you ever need anything in L.A. call me. I have a few connections."

She drops the Taser back into her purse. "Yea, I figured as much, Mr. Big time P.I. Thanks, but for now my stuff seems to be centered on this weird little community and our local meth dealers."

"Is that why you're so jumpy about strangers?" Mick asks.

Veronica nods. "Yea. My father was sheriff, and now he's a P.I. He's spent a lot of time teaching me to take care of myself. Logan parents were abusive dysfunctional monsters and unless it's something he can hand off to a lawyer, he has no concept of dealing with trouble in a way to keep himself alive. If I'm threatened, he loses what little self-preservation he has. Last year he's saved me once from the local crazy meth head suppliers and a crazed teenager with a gun. When I'm in trouble, he's fearless and that scares me half to death. If anything happens to him, it would kill me. I'm not only kind of jumpy for myself but for him as well."

Veronica smiles at Mick and changes the subject. "Hey, I read you were the one who tried to save the deputy DA that got killed up there a few months ago."

Mick looks sad and Veronica feels bad for saying anything but her curiosity gets the better of her. "Sorry, was he a friend of yours?"

"More or less. My friend Beth and he had been dating for a while."

Veronica smiles "Beth Turner? I hear the two of you are an item."

"I see someone read the gossip columns along with my bio."

Veronica laughs. "I've got to be thorough. Logan thinks she's hot. He says if he has to watch the news he might as well enjoy his weakness for blonds."

Mick smiles, "Well, he's got good taste. That's evident. You'd like Beth. You remind me of her. Actually since this seems to be wrapping up so fast I think I may try and get her down here for some R&R later in the week."

The phone rings and Mick picks up. "Hi, yes, this is Mr. St. John. Hannah? Yes, I have a ticket to Vermont for you and I'll give you a ride. No that's ok. I sort of promised your mom I'd watch you board. It's part of what she's paying me for. The ticket is open so yes tomorrow night is fine. You might want to call your mom and let her know you're okay." Mick hangs up as Logan walks in the door.

"That Hannah?" he asks.

"Yea, you did a good job. She's ready to go home." Mick says

Logan laughs and shakes his head. "It wasn't that hard. She didn't come here to see me. Her mother may think moving her away would give her a clean start, but Hannah has good friends in Neptune. She's been communicating with them through the internet at her school." He glances at Veronica. "She already knew we were back together. Apparently, the idea of Hannah going out with me freaked her mother out so bad that besides moving her clear across the country, she's been strict. I think she just wanted to get her mother to wake up and see that she needs to hear Hannah's side of things." Logan shakes his head. "The weird thing is she really is a good person." He shrugs. "And Hannah's going to be eighteen in another eight months so her mother better figure out a way to work things out or she'll lose her for good."

Veronica can see the pain sketch across Logan's face. "You know it wasn't just about dating you. Her mother probably feels guilty because she didn't see that Hannah's dad is a cokehead. That had to be a pretty big jolt for both of them."

Logan shrugs. "Maybe."

Mick clears his throat. "That lines up with what she told me. She's ready to go home. She wants to visit a couple girlfriends during the day tomorrow and then I'll run her to the airport tomorrow afternoon. Thanks. You both made my job much easier."

Logan nods and turns to Veronica. "Ready to go?

"Yea."

Mick watches them leave his hotel room. His smile fades and he decides that he needs to do some investigating of Logan Echolls background. The whole Josef's dead ringer look alike thing is just too weird for words. He picks up the phone to call Beth and the thought of her returns the smile to his face. He can roll the investigation into a long weekend with his favorite newspaper reporter.

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **Love reviews or comments or whatever...**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Not mine….Owned by CBS….WB and I think a few others….Love both shows…just want to have some fun.

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 _ **Back to the here and now.**_

Mick has all the pictures Beth took laid out on the desk. Unfortunately, he has none of Josef for comparison and he can't exactly do surveillance on Josef to get any. If Josef found out it would possibly be the end of their friendship and as angry as Mick is at Josef, he can't take that kind of risk. Mick has known Josef for decades and he could swear that this kid has to be the impossible…. a blood relative of Josef's.

Xxxxxxxxxx

 **Last Wed Afternoon.**

Beth throws the suitcase in trunk of her car and shuts the lid. _Now only one thing left to do._ She gets in to the car and pulls out her phone. She listens to it ring taping her fingers on the steering wheel.

"Kostan Industries."

"Hey Rose, this is Beth Turner I'd like to speak to Mr. Kostan if he has a minute."

Rose nods knowing Josef will take the call. "One minute Ms. Turner." She calls into Josef's office phone. "Sir, Beth Turner is on line one. She would like to speak to you."

Josef growls into the phone. "If that human is in trouble…."

Rose stifles a chuckle. She knows Mick always asks Josef to watch over his human when he's out of town. "Doesn't she have your cell number?" Rose asks.

"Yes, she does." Josef relaxes. "And she's been told to only use it if it's an emergency, if she or Mick is in trouble so this must be something else. Put her through."

Rose clicks Beth over to Josef's office phone.

"Josef?" Beth asks.

"Yes, Beth. What can I do for you?" he asks.

Beth grins into the darkness of the parking garage. "You can call off your men."

Josef scowls into the phone. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Beth laughs. "Josef I know that Mick has your men watching me when he leaves town."

Josef tries to protest until he hears Beth's laughter through the phone.

"Don't even bother. I know Mick, and I know you and besides Mick taught me what to look for when someone is following me. They're good but Mick is a good teacher. Look, I don't really care about them following me. If that's what it takes for Mick to leave town and keep his mind on what he's doing instead of getting distracted worrying about some vamp hurting me then it's okay with me."

Josef can't fault her logic. "Thanks Beth. If that's the case then why tell me to call them off now?"

"Because Mick called and I'm going to meet him so there isn't any reason for them to follow me. I've got gas and I won't stop until I see Mick." Beth says.

"Okay but if you have any trouble…" Josef trails off.

"If I'm closer to you then Mick I'll call right away. Okay?"

He nods to himself. "Okay. Have a safe trip and say hi to Mick."

"Will do, thanks Josef." Beth disconnects and smiles in anticipation as she starts her car.

Mick opens the door before Beth even has a chance to knock. He's so happy to see her. He sweeps her up into his arms and kisses her. Beth tries to tug them away from the open door and Mick kicks it closed with his foot. She puts her arms around his neck and brings him back to her, kissing him deeply. They slowly break the kiss smiling at one another. "I just got here. I just put Hannah on a plane back to her mother. I haven't even had a chance to check my messages." He smiles at her glancing down at his watch. "You're way ahead of schedule. How did you get away from work so early?" He kisses her again. "Not that I'm complaining."

Beth rolls her eyes. "When I told Mo I was coming to Neptune to meet you, she almost openly drooled. It was gross. Apparently a bunch of bad things happen in this town and almost all of them center on a few people." Beth goes to her purse and takes out her notes. "Let's see…she said something about Aaron Echolls, the actor, who was murdered not long ago…. his son Logan…. Aaron's wife committed suicide…. the Kane family, of Kane Industries fame had a daughter who was killed by Aaron Echolls…Oh, and a girl by the name of Veronica Mars who fits in with this because she's involved with both the Kane kid and the Echolls kid who were or are best friends. Mo pushed me out the door and her words were ' _ **it has it all**_.'"

When she looks up from her notes, she sees the look of apprehension on Mick's face and sighs. "I'm not going to like what your about to say, am I?"

"Er…no, your not. This is probably not a story you're going to be able to report on. Let me show you something." Mick sits on the couch and flips open the file on the coffee table. Beth sits down next to him. She picks it up, glancing at it and then at Mick. She reads the name on the photo and frowns. "Why is Josef using the name Logan Echolls and why was he busted? Why does he have visible bruising and a black eye? When was this picture taken?"

Mick leans back and cuts off her questions. "This isn't Josef. This is Logan Echolls."

Beth kicks her shoes off, tucking her feet under her and leans back against Mick. She studies the picture. "You're sure this isn't Josef? How can that be? I mean if you really study it, you can see some small differences. He does look younger but this kid is damn near a dead ringer for Josef. Are you sure it's not just Josef playing a trick or a prank or something?"

Mick shakes his head. "No, Logan and Veronica, the girlfriend you mentioned, were in this room yesterday for about two hours. Believe me, this is not Josef. This kid is just a regular human. It's very freaky until you spend enough time with him to get use to the personality differences. As far as I can tell Logan is very different from Josef."

Beth smiles, "You must have gotten one heck of a jolt the first time you saw him."

Mick shakes his head and thinks of the implications of Josef's twin. "Luckily I saw the booking photo first so I was a little prepared or I'm sure I'd have said something that could have been disastrous."

Beth snickers "He can't be too much different from Josef in some respects if he has a booking photo."

Mick starts to get indignant in his friends defense and realizes Beth is teasing him. "Josef doesn't break the law…. he's just a little morally challenged."

Beth laughs. "Josef just doesn't get caught. You cannot imagine all the questions I have in my head. You can not even imagine."

"That's exactly why I asked you to come down here. Well, and I really wanted to see you. I need that reporters curiosity and I need you to help me do some background on this kid. The problem is this town is small and the girl friend is a P.I. and a very over protective P.I. to boot. If I start making enquiries, she's going to go into over drive to shut everything down. I have a hunch that she can probably do it and get me thrown in jail to boot."

"Is there any angle you can think of that the two of them would agree to give you information, instead of having to do this the sneaky way?" Beth asks

"Only one and if it didn't work out like I thought it would, it would hurt Logan...a lot…" Beth can tell Mick doesn't like the prospect of whatever he's thinking. "Veronica let it slip that Logan's had a rough child hood. I get the feeling the family dynamic was bad, like abusive bad. Odds are his father abused him. From what I gather from your information and the deputy I spoke to, the father also murdered Logan's first girlfriend. I'm guessing if this kid thought there was a chance that this monster wasn't really his father…he might talk all he could to find a new one."

Beth shakes her head. "Oh, Mick…no…. that would be just cruel. There's no way Josef could be the boys biological father…is there?"

Mick thinks about how little he knows about the tribe. Coraline wasn't exactly forth coming and truthfully, for many years he didn't want to know anything about vampires since he didn't think he'd live long enough to care. "I don't think it's possible. I've never heard of it happening and if it were possible, you'd think Josef would have mentioned it. As for telling Logan, Josef might be his father, I know it's a bad idea but I can't think of another way to open him up."

"Do you think there is a way to get the girlfriend to open up to you?" Beth asks.

Mick thinks of the small blond. "No, and if even if she did, if it turned out badly the betrayal might fracture them. I take it from some things said at our meeting that as much as they seem to love each other they've had a rocky go of it and I get the sense Logan needs Veronica, she's his stabilizer."

Beth thinks about how she'd do this back in L.A. "Maybe if I asked around. If they don't know who I am, that you and I know each other maybe I can get an angle on them?"

Mick laughs. "They know who you are. Veronica said she read that we are an "item" is the word she used and Logan told her that he watches you do the news because if he has to watch the news he is going to indulge his weakness for hot blonds. So, I think the idea of you sneaking up on them is not going to work and we sure as hell can't go to them with the truth."

"Not the truth but maybe you could call and ask about local attractions, find a way to get them to spend an afternoon with us, showing us the local sites?" Beth says.

Mick nods thoughtfully as he reviews the time he spent with the pair. "That might not be a bad idea. Once I got the thumbs up from a local deputy that Veronica trusted, they were very helpful, and they already know who you are…"

Beth nods in agreement. "I've found that once you get people's help, once they let their guard down, it's not that hard to get their help again, and I still have to write some kind of story for Mo. Maybe if I promised not to write anything about either of them, they could point me in the direction of someone or something I could write about. If we could just spend some time with them we might get a little clearer picture."

Veronica and Logan sit in front of the forms for applying to college. They have decided to take this year after high school off. Both of them need a breather after the last year, but to get a jump on things they have started filling out applications way ahead of time. Veronica knows Logan's heart isn't really into the idea of more school but she is hopping with a year off he will be more receptive. She is worried that if his trust fund ever falls out from under him he will have no way to get through life. He is far to use to money being at his fingertips.

Something occurs to Veronica…."Logan, who's managing your money?"

He waves at her absently. "I am, why?"

She is staring at him when he looks up at her. "Logan how much money did your parents leave you?"

Logan looks at her quizzically. "Veronica, since when did you care about how much money I have?"

"Just humor me." She says.

Logan shrugs. "Sure. I had the art and mom's jewelry appraised and between that and the cash it was a little over half a million dollars from her. Thank goodness, I had it appraised because the insurance paid up full value when the house burned. Then when…well, someone offed Aaron I bought Trina out of her half on the property the house was on, we split the residuals from Aaron's movies and the stocks and bank accounts, after taxes 1.5 million is what I had after it was all said and done. It cost me a good deal to get Trina to sell me her half of the property but real estate in this zip code is always a good long term investment."

"Logan what do you have now, 6 months later?" Veronica is fearful he will say he's blown most of it.

Logan smiles at her and cocks his head to the side. "You think it's gone, don't you?"

Veronica looks a little embarrassed. "Well, lover boy you do like to spend money."

"Damn Veronica, give me a little credit. If you have to know, I've taken that 1.5 and turned it into 2.5 and paid for my expenses."

Veronica sits there looking at Logan taping a pencil on the desk. "Logan, don't take this wrong I'm just trying to understand something. If you can turn 1.5 million into 2.5 million, why aren't you taking business classes or something? Obviously you must have a talent for this sort of thing."

Logan looks at her and shakes his head. "You just can't stand the idea of me being idle my entire life, can you? Even if I could snap my fingers and assure you I'd never starve and I'd have all the money I needed you would still wonder why I wasn't working."

"Sorry Logan, Idle rich doesn't compute for me. It just seems like a damn waste to go through life with no goals."

Logan laughs silently. He leans over to Veronica and brings her into a deep kiss. Kissing her is hardly the reaction she expected from him, but it is a nice one. He stops and gives her that half smile. "Now you know what my goals are. Doesn't seem like a waste to me."

Veronica swats at him. "Logan I just worry about you getting bored and…. getting off track."

He smiles and rolls his eyes. "Which means in Veronica speak you're worried I'll do something stupid and end up in jail?"

She silently nods.

"I'll tell you what…I'll make you a deal. I'll take my 2.5 and I'll double it in say a year. If I can do that, I don't have to go to school, I don't have to work, I get to while away the hours however I choose and you realize that I can take care of myself financially and leave it alone. In fact I'll tell you what, even with that I'll go to school but I'll take what I want, not what's required."

Veronica considers it. "Logan, it's not just about the money it's about being productive, but what the heck maybe you'll get more out of it than the 5 million. Okay, I'll bite, but the conditions are as follows, it has to be gotten legally, no gambling, no gun running," Logan snickers and she continues. "You can't get any extra help from friends, meaning nobody can loan you the balance and 10 percent of what you make has to go to some sort of good cause…environment, poverty…I don't care but some of it goes to help someone besides you and the boys with your booty calls."

He smiles at her. "You're my only booty call." Logan thinks about it for a couple minutes…"I can do that. It means of course that I have to earn more than 2.5 to double down and cover expenses and the 10 percent. I can do that, but I have some conditions of my own. If I should agree to this little experiment in you trying to alter my slide through life, I shouldn't have to be the only one to work on my issues."

Veronica snorts. "I have no issues."

Logan laughs and she just smiles at him sheepishly. "Ok, what do you want me to do?"

"Once a day for the next year you have to look me in the eye and tell me you love me. You have to admit out loud when you are wrong," Logan taps her on the hose. "And most importantly you have to stop expecting every person in your life to let you down."

Veronica just stares at him. "You don't want much do you?"

"So, what do you think? Deal or no?" he asks.

Veronica leans over and kisses him. She looks him in the eyes. "I love you."

He smiles softly at her. "Was that so hard?"

"Yea, …..but hopefully it will get easier." She waves her hand dismissively. "Yea, it's a deal."

Veronica leans back into the kisses, when her phone starts to ring. Logan sighs as she flips it open.

Weevil parks his Harley behind the diner and taps on the back door.

Pete peaks around the door and smiles when he sees Weevil. He opens the door wide and lets him in. "Hey man, you come to see the reporter? She's prettier in person than on the net."

Weevil nods. It didn't take long for word to work its way back to him that there is a reporter in town. He'd been trying to track her down all day when one of his boys got a phone call from his brother telling him she and a friend are at the diner. "Yea,"

"Look through the window on the swinging door. They took a table right in front." Pete says excitedly.

Weevil moves farther into the kitchen and even before he looks, he knows they've got trouble. Besides a reporter, he senses a vampire. He takes a quick look and then moves back to the exit door. He takes out his phone and punches in Veronica's number. "Hey V I think you and Logan may have a problem."

Veronica tenses up. "Now what Weevil?"

"I'm over at the diner on 5th meeting one of my boys."

"The one with a job?" Veronica interrupts.

"Yea, smart mouth and there is a woman in the diner that I recognize. She's that reporter from BuzzWire, Beth something. I figure she's in town to do a story on your boyfriend and just wanted to give you a heads up."

"Is she with a tall dark handsome man who looks like he invented cool?" Veronica sneaks a peak at Logan who is scowling. That's what he gets for telling her he thinks Beth is hot.

"Yea, that sounds like a fair description."

"Well, Logan and I met him a couple days ago and we met her today. He's a P.I. out of LA. We helped him with a case he was working on. He invited her down for some R&R. We spent some time late this afternoon with them down at the beach. They are both nice people. She's not going to write about Logan. She's doing a thing on Terrance Cook.

"You and Logan helped him with a case and you went to the beach with them?"

"Yea, why?" Veronica asks.

"Shit." Is all Veronica hears and the line goes dead.

Veronica looks at the dead phone. She wonders what that was about goes back to kissing Logan.

Weevil turns to Pete. "She's with a friend of mine. I'm going to go out there and sit with them for a bit."

Pete nods. "Cool."

Weevil walks over, and moves a chair from the table next to them and sits down straddling the chair backwards. If he has to get out of there in a hurry, he doesn't want the chair in his way.

As Weevil approaches, Mick can sense him. Mick guesses Weevil is somewhere between 200 and 300 years old and of course a Vampire. They sized each other up. Mick nods slightly as Weevil grabs a chair and sits down. Beth watches the interplay between them. She knows immediately this is another vampire.

Weevil figures he better break the silence first since he is the interloper. "I hear you met Logan."

Mick nods. "Yes, we met a couple of days ago. He's an interesting kid. I'm going to have to keep an eye on him. Find out all I can."

Weevil sighs. "That's what I was afraid of. Did you just come down here and find the kid on accident or did you come looking for him?"

"It was purely accident. I was down here on a case and he was slightly involved." Mick says.

Weevil nods. "Good then there hopefully are no leaks." Weevil turns to Beth. "You know you can't write anything about him, right? No stories about Logan."

Beth smiles and waves her hand dismissively at him "Of course. I've already had this discussion." She smiles at Mick.

Weevil takes out his cell and punches up a number. "I have someone who you need to talk to."

He hands the phone to Mick who already knows who is on the other end. "Hello Josef."

Josef sighs. He should have asked Beth where she was going because there is only reason Weevil would be calling him. "Hey Mick. I think it's time to come back to LA. I think we need to have a chat, oh and of course bring Beth."

Mick doesn't say anything for a minute. "Mick? Did you hear me?"

Beth narrows her eyes when she hears Mick growl.

"Yes, Josef I heard you but I think we need to meet somewhere besides your office or house."

"So, now you don't trust me?" Josef asks.

"Josef you didn't trust me enough to tell me about this and no I'm not going to gamble Beth's life that you won't take security on this matter to an all-time high."

Josef sighs. He can't really blame Mick. "All right, where and when?"

"I'll think about it and call you back. In the meantime, make sure your watchdog understands to behave himself as we leave town. I don't want any trouble…"

"Put Weevil back on the phone." Josef says.

Weevil takes the phone from Mick, and gets his instructions from Josef. Weevil looks at Mick. "Boss says you're a good friend and not to hassle you but I'd just as soon you were out of town. You could draw attention…. she could really draw attention." He says nodding towards Beth.

Mick nods. "Agreed, I didn't fully realize the situation until this minute. We'll leave tonight."

Weevil gets up. He moves the chair back where it belongs and leaves.

Beth looks at him and sees the disappointment in his face. "I take it we're going home to see Josef." Mick nods and Beth sighs, "It's been awfully nice down here the last couple of days. I'm glad I got my story with Terrence Cook." Since his troubles with the law, he was more than willing to talk, and gets some good press. Beth had assured him she would play up the good stuff and not so much the bad. "Mo will love the whole reformed, fallen hero crap."

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **As always comments always welcome :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer...not mine...belongs to CBS...WB...whoever else. Not intended for anything but entertainment...no infringment intended...Just my idea of fun**

 **Of course those of you who have watched both shows know I've taken some liberties with the characters to say the least. :)**

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

As Beth enters Mick's office, she watches him pace back and forth. "You're going to wear a hole in the floor. Why does this bother you so much?"

"Because there are only about 3 things I want out of life and Josef has given me nothing but grief over them when all the time he was holding out. The thing with Sarah was bad enough but if this is what I think then…"

"Well, we won't know until we see him. When is he due?" Beth asks.

Mick glances at the clock. "He should be here soon. Beth I meant what I said. If Josef comes after either of us, you shoot him with my gun and make it dead center."

Beth's shakes her head in exasperation. "Mick, Josef is not going to hurt either of us. I don't believe that and neither do you. You're just pissed because he didn't say anything to you about Logan. Calm down."

Mick hears the knock on the apartment door and he turns to go answer it. Beth steps in front of him. "I'm going to go and see if it's Josef, if it is, I'm going to let him in, and you are going to stop acting like an idiot."

"No. You're not." Mick says.

"Yes, I am." Beth counters.

They continue until Josef pokes his head through the office door. He can hear them arguing like a couple of kids. "Did you forget I have a key?"

Both of them turn and glare at him. He looks at them and looks down at the floor for a minute. Josef looks back up he smiles shyly, "Surprise, it's a boy."

Mick walks past him into the other room and doesn't say a word. Beth walks over and gives Josef a hug. Josef looks back at Mick and then arches an eyebrow at Beth. She shrugs nudging him back into the other room. Her message is clear. _Make things right._

Beth walks toward the kitchen. "Josef would you like a drink…how about you Mick?" Josef wants half-and-half and Mick grumbles he wants scotch straight up. Beth mixes a half scotch, half blood for Josef and gives Mick a glass and the bottle. He wants to act like an ass he can just pour his own drink.

They sit in silence for a bit and finally Josef clears his throat. "Look I know you're mad and I'm sorry, but the kid had to come first. Be pissed all you want but admit to me that you would do anything to protect your own humans from the rest of us…." Josef sighs. "Even from the best of us."

Mick understands what Josef is getting at and knows there is a lot of truth there. He would do anything to protect Beth. "How long have you known about him and how the hell could you have left him in that house?" Mick asks bluntly.

Josef scowls at thoughts of what hell Logan's childhood must have been like. "I actually didn't find out about him until about ten months ago. I had absolutely no idea and when my investigators got the whole story, I made sure that son of a bitch wasn't going to ever lay a hand on Logan again. The Kane kid thinks he paid for that bastard's execution, for his sister's murder, but I was way ahead of him and the wheels were already in motion. He just paid the bonus money." Josef lets out a growl. "The only reason I didn't do it myself is because there were too many eyes on the son of a bitch."

Mick nods. That sounds like Josef. "I wish you'd said something."

Josef lets out a sigh "I know, but it's been kind of a shock. I haven't really been on even footing since I found out. Let me start at the beginning. You remember back in the late 80s? You'd abandoned me for her." Josef tilts his head towards Beth and Mick nods. "and I was seeing quite a few actresses at the time?"

"Humans?" Beth asked

"Yes, Humans but nothing serious, just having fun with pretty ladies. Anyway, there was one very pretty lady that found out what I was and she didn't care. I didn't tell you at the time because I thought you'd be mad, like I was when Beth found out about our people."

Beth frowns at him and he waves his hand in the air at her "A secret is a secret is a secret."

"Anyway, that was Lynn Lester and because she knew, I took things farther than I normally do with humans. This went on for about a year and one day she disappeared. I didn't think much of it. I kind of figured she just moved on to something else. It was never a serious relationship for either of us."

Mick is thinking back to those days and clearly remembers Lynn. Mick smiles. "I knew she knew. I just didn't let you know, I knew she knew."

Josef rolls his eyes "Yea, and who's on first?"

Beth just looks confused.

Josef and Mick both stop to think for a bit. "Anyway Lynn leaves and I don't hear from her again until ten months ago. Her name is now Lynn Echolls. She wanted to see me and I thought what the heck. I have fond memories of her and she kept my secrets. Well, she could have dropped a house on me. She wants me to make her disappear to the Netherlands, and she wants me to kill her husband AND she wants to do this because she and my son's lives have become unbearable. I thought she was crazy as a loon but then she showed me a picture of Logan, good-looking kid that he is," Mick rolls his eyes at that as Josef continues. "and she gave me blood samples. She told me to have the DNA tests done and call her back. I did, I had to. I couldn't take the chance she wasn't lying. He's mine all right."

Josef shakes his head as he remembers his panic. He'd spent all the years after Sarah only caring for people who could take care of themselves, because humans are too damn vulnerable. "I couldn't tell you. I couldn't tell anyone until I had decided what to do about him, Lynn, and that bastard who had been abusing Logan. I could have killed her when I found out the level of abuse Logan was subjected to. She'd left that out and I'd already paid to have her tucked away in the Netherlands in a convent of all places. My whole life has become the twilight zone because you know, I don't get involved with humans, it never ends well, and vampires can't have children. The freakin' twilight zone."

Mick gets up, goes into the office and comes back with a file folder, and hands it to Josef. In it are all the pictures that Mick and Beth managed to take of Logan while they were in Neptune. The four of them spent some time on the beach very late on an overcast day. Beth took a bunch of pictures. Josef stares at one picture after another. "I don't get to see many pictures of him. This is the first ones I've seen of him surfing. Now and then Veronica takes pictures of him and Ryder intercepts them off her computer and sends me copies. He's very good at tapping her computer through her Internet connection. I'm surprised you could even get any of them. She's as paranoid as I am. She's got scrubbers on the net munching up pictures of him."

Beth watches Josef as he looks over the pictures. "God you have no idea how much I'd like to meet him…spend some time with him."

The idea worries Mick when he hears Josef talk about meeting Logan. "I asked Veronica about the picture munching on the net. Logan didn't know but he didn't care either. You know he kind of reminds me of you. At first I thought you were completely different but he's pretty hedonistic. Loves woman, money and fun."

Josef smiles at that. "Yes, even over the time I've been keeping tabs on him I've noticed we have some things in common. Although he likes white and I like red."

Mick smiles and Beth looks a little confused. Josef shakes his head. "Never mind, vampire humor."

"Josef tell me where your biker buddy fits in." Beth asks

"Well, I've known Weevil for a couple hundred years and he was in the area already. He didn't know Logan, they don't exactly travel in the same circles, but I contacted him and asked him to see if he could find a way to sort of keep track of Logan and make sure if any of the tribe showed up to call me. Weevil owes me big time from the old days. I saved his ass more than once and the way he lives, he knows he may need me to save him again so it was safe to have him around Logan. You'd be surprise at how, with enough money, you can get blood into a vamp in jail. It's not easy or cheap but it's doable. So now I owe him for the next time he gets himself tossed in the can before he can get out of town."

"So he's essentially your onsite security." Mick says.

"Weevil and Veronica have a mutual interest in keeping Logan in one piece even if she doesn't know it. She helps Weevil out, and he helps her out and between them, they have more information than the local cops do. I don't know if Veronica and Logan will last but for now, they seem to be doing ok. I just worry that her P.I. work is going to drag Logan into something dangerous."

Beth sits there marveling at how Josef all of a sudden sounds just like any other parent. It is surreal to say the least.

Mick eyes Josef. "I think it already has, at least a couple times."

Josef looks at Mick. "What are you talking about?"

"According to Veronica, Logan has saved her from a meth head pusher and charged some kid with a gun that was shooting at her. She said when she's in danger he's absolutely fearless and it scares the hell out of her." Mick says.

Josef's face is a hard line. "I know about the Fitzpatrick's and I have plans for the whole lot of them, they are a problem what can't wait much longer. They are crazy from the drugs and Veronica is in real danger from them. As for the kid with the gun, I knew that Logan saved her but not that he was charging loaded guns. Damn kid."

Mick and Beth exchange glances then she starts to laugh. Josef looks offended for about a minute and then he starts smiling. "I can't help it. Even vampires apparently have some sort of parental instincts. It is sort of the same feelings you get with a fledgling vampire. Although this is decidedly different because Logan is already grown up but the urge to protect is the same."

Mick realizes he hasn't heard everything. "You know I have more questions than can possibly be answered right now."

"Me too. Me too." Says Beth

"Yes, I can just imagine." Josef stands up and starts pacing and scowling and Mick wonders at the change in his attitude. "You didn't really think I would hurt you and Beth? What was this business about not wanting to go to the house?"

"Josef what am I suppose to think when I find out you have a son that you haven't mentioned? What I think is your security concerns have gone into over drive to protect the kid and you would do anything to that end. As you pointed out, I'd do anything to keep Beth safe." Mick smiles at Beth.

"I'm sorry about all that but I wouldn't hurt you or Beth because I know neither of you would hurt Logan." Josef smiles "Trust issues…Mick you have trust issues."

Beth laughs. "This from Mr. Paranoia."

Josef paces a moment. "Look, I have a lot more to tell you about what I've planned so far and I need your input. Especially since, you have at least met Logan and Veronica but I'm getting hungry and I'm sure Beth probably wants food. Why don't we all take a break and meet back at my place at say eleven and we can talk some more?"

Mick and Beth look across to each other and she nods so Mick agrees and they plan to meet back at Josef's at eleven.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Josef dismisses most of the household staff for the night. Only Robert who has known Josef longer than anyone is still in the house. Robert has taken care of Josef and his houses for more years than either of them can count. Robert knows about Logan and is as amazed.

Mick and Beth drive up after Beth gets dinner. It was early enough when Josef left that she got a catnap in also. She feels rested so she can go all night with these two night owls and not miss any thing.

Mick knocks and Robert answers and lets them in. "Josef is in the study." Mick starts to turn and Robert calls him back. "Mick, think carefully about the advice you give him, about the boy. I…. don't think he's thinking straight. You know, I want the best for him but if he loses this kid, it could knock him flat and he may not get up again. It was bad enough after Sarah."

Mick knows what Robert is getting at. He nods and they go into Josef's study.

Josef asks if either of them wants a drink. He pours a glass of wine for Beth and a couple scotches for himself and Mick. They all sit and start again.

Mick decides he can steer the discussion in the right direction. "So, what next? Are you just going to keep him safe for the rest of his life and get regular reports on him?"

Josef looks at Mick somewhat surprised. "I'm going to invite him to meet his long lost brother."

Alarmed Mick asks. "His brother?"

"Well, I can't exactly be his father right off the bat now can I? Look he's old enough now that I could claim to be his brother and it works age wise because Lynn had him when she was 26 so I could be 7 or 8 years older and still be his brother. My records have always been just sketchy enough so that they could be altered without much trouble to fit what I need and this is what I need."

Beth watches Mick as he starts pacing the room. Josef watches him and he gets up and starts pacing the other side. Beth thinks she's getting motion sickness having the two of them going back and forth.

Mick breaks the silence. "What are you going to do down the road when he starts to catch up to you age wise, when he ages and you don't?"

"I'll either tell him the truth or if I don't think he can handle it I'll die tragically in a fiery crash and leave him my empire and start over quietly somewhere else. I will say he's shown a talent for the money. I keep tabs on his financial transactions and he's managing his own accounts and he's turned 1.5 million into almost 3 million."

Mick gets to the heart of the matter. "What if you tell him the truth and he wants to join up? What if he doesn't want to and you have to just watch him age and die?"

"If he wants to join up then we worry about finding him a sire at that time. Unlike you, I don't have a problem with that. If he doesn't then I've gotten more years with him than I ever expected... God, all of a sudden I feel like I'm talking to myself."

"Josef, I just don't want you to go off the deep end if something happens…. even something unexpected happens to Logan. It's hard with humans…. they're fragile." Beth hears Mick's voice breaking.

"Like I don't know that." Josef lashes back at Mick

Beth thinks about Veronica. "Josef whatever you do you better make it damn good, because if there are any holes anywhere in your story Veronica will find them and it will be all over. Have you thought about where she fits into all this because if you haven't you better. I talked to her enough to know that part of the problems they have had over time is her inability to let things go. If you try and tell him and not her, she's going to sense something and dig until he has to tell her to keep her and if you haven't prepared her it could be bad."

The trio laps into silence again. Beth breaks it this time. "What I want to know is how…this happened…and if it happens very often." She smiles at Mick thinking about the fact that they never use birth control because after all, Vampires can't have children and she pushes her wine away. Mick smiles. He can almost see the thoughts going through her head. Mick laughs softly to himself realizing that hope for some of the things he wants from life are coming from Josef yet again.

Josef sighs. He knew this question was coming. "I have no idea on either count. I'm quite sure if it happens very often no one is talking about it for the same reasons I can't. I've lived four hundred years and I've got a lot of enemies, hell Mick's less than a hundred and he has a lot of enemies. It's the way it is in our world. At least if Logan is living here he can be protected from someone figuring out who he is and trying to get to me through him." Josef shakes his head trying to make sense of it all. "Before I forget to mention this, when I had the DNA tests done my research guys said Logan's DNA is different from a normal human. They don't know how the differences affect him but they are there. In some respects, they mirror some of the changes our DNA goes through when we are turned. They are working with a couple of vampires that are getting ready to be sires. They're going to do before and after DNA tests. It will be interesting to see how they match up to Logan's DNA. Of course, no one knows the exact nature of the DNA they're working with. I've given them as much information as I can without exposing Logan."

Mick shakes his head. "Josef you can justify this however you want but if you mess this up it's not just your life that ends up a mess but this 18 year old kid who is probably better off where he is."

Josef growls. "Mick, that's not an option. I'm going to see my son and with any luck Logan and Veronica will be living here. It's their choice but I'm not going to put this off any longer."

Mick sighs…"Josef I think it's your own ego that wants him here and I think it will be everyone's undoing."

Josef turns to Beth. "What do you think? Is he better off? Would you have been better off if you didn't know what Mick is and that he loves you?"

Beth smiles at Josef. "You don't play fair. To answer your question no I wouldn't be better off."

Mick scowls at her but she just shrugs.

Beth walks over and puts her hand on Josef's arm. "Josef if you were going to offer him a regular human life I would agree that it would be a good thing. The problem is people keep abandoning him or they never loved him to begin with. I can't believe his mother is alive and left him. I'd like to help you strangle her. If he loses you it is not going to do him any good to have your empire it will be just one more person he's lost. I think you should leave him where he is for now. Keep track of him like you've been doing and maybe help him from the shadows. He's young enough that you don't really have to decide this now. Let him grow up."

Josef sits back down heavily in the chair. He puts his face in his hands and leans over. "What if someone other than you discovers him?"

"You've got a pretty good system worked out. I think even if Veronica and Logan go their separate ways she's not going to let anything happen to him. They really do love each other. It doesn't take long to see that. If they work on it they might stay together. But you really need to make sure she stays safe. She is really his weak spot."

Josef looks up at Beth. "You're suggesting that I continue to rely on a teenage girl who weights maybe a 105 pounds to keep my son safe. That is one big if."

"I know, but some times that just the way it is, and they both have Weevil to help out."

Mick laughs. "And Mr. Snappy"

Beth and Josef look at him like he's nuts and he explains about Veronica's Taser. "I have a hunch she's not hesitant to use it either."

"All right…here's what I'll do. I'll leave things as they are for now but prepare an emergency exit in case things change drastically, but I want to meet him. I don't care how it happens but I want to meet my son."

Mick slowly shakes his head. "Josef, that's not a smart idea…. If you didn't look so much alike..."

"I don't give a shit." Beth jumps as Josef's glass shatters against the wall and his fangs flash. "If the three of us give this some thought we can figure out how to make it happen."

Josef looks over at Beth and smiles sadly. "I'm sorry. I don't want to frighten you. I just want to meet my son. Is that so hard to understand?"

"No, Josef. It's not hard to understand at all." Beth says.

"Also I'm going to give Weevil the go ahead to turn him if he gets critically injured, same with Veronica. We can always do whatever we have to later with the fall out if it is a bad move. It's still better than having them dead with no recourse."

Beth looks across at Mick. Mick knows she's thinking of his refusal to turn Josh. Beth starts to cry silently and leaves the room. Josef looks up and watches her leave. "What was that about?"

"Josh"

Josef sighs. "Shit."

"It's ok. You do what you have to. It's not the same thing and you don't have my...issues on the subject. You're paving the way ahead of time. You know, maybe if there were a way to introduce him to a vampire other than you ahead of time, it would help later. Maybe Weevil or someone could kind of inoculate him to the idea. That way he would be ahead of the game, if it came to a turning. The whole vampire thing would not be such an alien concept."

Josef smiles at Mick. "That's really a very good idea. I'll think on the proper players."

Beth wonders back in and she goes over and sits on Mick's lap. Josef looks over and smiles at her. "Forgiven?"

Beth smiles, "Nothing to forgive. The past just has a way of sneaking up on a person. Remember that."

Josef snorts. "Believe me. No one knows that better than I do."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Beth is wandering the apartment deep in thought. Mick watches her wander around not paying much attention to what she's doing. She's thinking about Josef's problems and it's making her restless. Mick wishes he had an easy answer for Josef as well but he just doesn't see it. Beth wonders over to where Mick is on the couch and sits down. "What if he just told them both the truth, right up front, no beating around the bush? He just flat out told them who he is and what he is. We could be there to help explain things, especially me since I'm still human and most of the time," she grins. "I have no problem relating to the two of you."

Mick shrugs and laughs a little. "It's a pretty odd concept for a vampire to go that route. We spend our entire lives hiding who we are from humans it wouldn't even occur to one of us to tell someone straight on. I think though first someone would have to have a good conversation with Weevil since he's the only vampire that's spent any time with the two of them. He may have an idea of how it would go over. I told Josef that he should find someone to tell them about vampires, show them ahead of time to get them use to the idea before the whole thing is in crisis. Maybe that would be the first step and if it went ok than Josef could just meet with them and lay it out. It would certainly be better than them stumbling on it later and worrying about them thinking vampires are nothing but monsters."

Mick smiles and thinks of his worry when Beth found him all vamped out trying to get the poison out of his system. Mick knows that with Beth he'd gotten lucky. Most humans would not have reacted the way she did. She got use to it and they moved on although he thinks the desert was really the turning point for them. She knew what dire straights he was in and he had refused to drain her. At that point, she knew she would never ever fear him.

"It's certainly worth considering. I'll talk to Josef and see what he thinks."

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **As always loved to hear what people think...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer...not mine...belongs to CBS...WB...whoever else. Not intended for anything but entertainment...no infringement intended...Just my idea of fun...**

 **Chapter 5  
**

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Cormac Fitzpatrick looks down at his watch. He wonders if his brother Liam is going to manage to make an appearance. He was suppose to be here at the site of their little enterprise along with their two uncles and a couple of their cousins. They all needed to be in one place to discuss the changes in production and distribution of meth. They have a nice little operation out here in the desert. Due to a quirk of the city limits they are outside the city of Neptune's jurisdiction and far enough off the grid to stay off the state police's radar, but close enough they don't have far to go for distribution. Cormac bought the property five years ago in the name of their aged mother just for this operation. It is becoming so profitable they needed to step up production.

Everyone is present and accounted for, except of course, Liam who has been sampling too much product and it's made him unreliable and pretty damn crazy. Cormac is going to have to talk to Sean about doing something about Liam, family or not.

Back in Neptune, in Logan's suite at the Grand the party is in full swing. It is a good-bye to the neighborhood party. Logan bought Richard Casablanca's old place for a good price. He misses living in a house and he wants to get out of the Grand. It will cost a bundle to buy and live in a house but he is tired of the Grand and the house is a good investment. He sold the property that Aaron and his mother owned and it was a prime location so he got a good price for it. The feds are closing in on Big Dick and he needed ready cash. So, he sold to Logan the house for much less than the place was worth. The only catch is Logan has to let Dick Jr. keep living there for six months. Logan figures in a house this big he should be able to keep Dick from annoying Veronica, too much. He had all the locks changed on the new house and promised Veronica he would shoot Kendal on site if she has the guts to show her face at the door. There will be some remodeling to do but the contractor can work around him. Now if he could just get Veronica to agree to move in….

Most of the usual suspects are at the party. Finally Logan's friends and Veronica's friends like Mac and Wallace are meshing pretty well. Veronica even insisted that she wanted Weevil to be invited and he'd showed. Some of Logan's friends are getting friendlier with Weevil because they played poker at Logan's with Weevil now and then. Everyone is getting a long pretty well. Dick is being well… himself. It was the first time he's been back since his younger brother Cassidy took his header off the roof so Veronica was willing to cut Dick some slack if he needs it. She doesn't have much use for Dick but he is Logan's friend so she tries. Although Logan isn't happy when Dick slaps Veronica across the backside, even Logan lets it go this time. When the cops show up to clear the place, because of the noise complaints they start taking names, which is just fine with Weevil.

Cormac looks at his watch again and it is the last time he sees anything. In a flash of very bright light, the "accidental" explosion of the tank that fed fuel to the trailer where the chemicals are stored, went up taking three nearby buildings, and several cars a long with it. The explosion could be heard for miles. All of the Fitzpatrick boys were gone in the blink of an eye except for the brother that was a priest and crazy Liam, who is late.

Liam is several miles down the road when he sees the smoke. He turns the car around and gets out of there without a backward glance. He doesn't stop to see if anyone survived. He isn't that far gone. He knows it is probably not an accident and he isn't going to be next. Hopefully it will take awhile for the cops to sort out who was inside and he will be thought dead for a while. He is going to have to find a place to lay low.

While the cop is taking Weevil's name there is a far off rumble. All the cops radios light up a call comes at once. Weevil smiles as they take off. He looks out over the balcony and in the distance he can see an orange glow lighting up the night sky. He can just imagine some tragedy must have happened to call them all away at once. Weevil waves Veronica over and says his good-byes and goes down to his bike. He takes out a disposable cell and punches up a number. "It's done. I don't have confirmation of personnel and I'm sure I won't for a few days but hopefully everyone will be accounted for." Weevil shuts the phone off and finds a dumpster to get rid of it in. He gets on his bike and leaves. He has his alibi and that is what is most important. He learned a long time ago about demolition and has kept up with the technology. Never hurts to have extra skills. He'd been pretty careful to make it look like a meth lab accident and lets face it the cops would be happy enough to be rid of the Fitzpatrick's to probably not look much farther. Just the same a good alibi never hurt anyone. Now he just has one stop to make.

Liam searches his drug-addled brain trying to figure out a place to hide until he can find out what had happened out in the desert. He decides that the best place is his cousin Sean's place. Sean was most likely in the explosion so he won't need it. Luckily for Liam the cops in this town are next to useless so it will probably be awhile before they get around to searching Sean's place, if at all. He knows Sean has a stash of drugs, money and guns he can use. It is perfect. It will take him an hour or so to get back to town.

Weevil is well aware that Sean was the enforcer for the Fitzpatricks and he doesn't want to see Sean's stash end up in the wrong hands. He heads straight for Sean's. He parks his bike down the alley and walks up to Sean's place staying in the shadows. No one is around. Hopefully Sean is scattered over the desert. It doesn't take long for Weevil to find the stash. He can smell the drugs. Weevil takes the drugs out and flushes them down the toilet. Then he goes back and inventories the guns and doesn't find as many as he thought he would. Could be that Sean had most of them with him just in case someone tried to take over the operation while they were all out there together. He does find 15,000 dollars stashed with the guns. He takes the cash and puts it away in his pocket. He searches the house one more time to find anymore contraband, and coming up with nothing else he takes the few guns he finds and heads out the door. He's down the alley when he sees a car pull up. He recognizes Liam getting out of the car. Weevil waits till Liam has gone inside and he takes off. "Damn something is going to have to be done about that." Weevil mutters to himself.

Liam pushes on the back door and it opens easily. He takes out the handgun he always has with him. Someone has either been here or is still here. _Damn_. He slowly goes through the house to Sean's stash and sees that everything is gone. _Damn. Damn, Damn._ What is he going to do now? He was counting on the drugs and money Sean had to keep him going until he could find a better place. At least he still has his own gun. He looks down and sees his hand shaking. He goes back out to his car and gets the last few drugs he has left of his own stash. He decides to take what's left and try and figure out what to do next.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back in LA Josef flips the channel from the business network to the local news. It didn't take long and there is a helicopter flying over the wreckage out in the desert. There has been a large explosion. The police don't have any information yet but the fire chief thinks from the size of the explosion and the intensity that it must be a chemical fire, probably from a drug lab. In the dark it looks like one hell of a fire. Josef smiles. Hopefully every one of those nut jobs went up with the explosion. He wants Logan and Veronica safe and this is the best answer to at least one problem.

Josef picks up the phone and calls Mick. "Are you watching the news?"

"Yea, I'm thinking that's a nice coincidence, the Fitzpatrick's blowing themselves up."

"It was nice wasn't it?"

"Yes wasn't it though." Mick said rather dryly, as he knows well that Josef is behind this. Josef's answer to any kind of threat has always been permanent elimination of whatever the threat is. In this case Mick can't feel too bad about it though.

"Hey while I have you on the line, think you can drop by later? I need to go over a couple things with you." Josef asks

"Sure. Beth is going into work late tonight I'll swing by after I drop her off."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Keith Mars is watching the same newscast that Josef and Mick are watching. He remembers who owns that piece of property from when he was the sheriff and he isn't too unhappy about this development either. Keith thanks the fates for taking away one of his biggest worries where Veronica is concerned. He doesn't need her on the Fitzpatrick's radar.

Veronica doesn't know it but Keith has gotten wind of Logan barging in and facing down Liam Fitzpatrick with a gun when Liam had Veronica by the throat. That put both of them in Liam's line of sight. Keith is glad Logan was there but at the same time the thought of Liam being aware of Veronica and Logan make him very nervous. As far as he knows Logan doesn't make a habit of carrying a gun and he can't be with Veronica every minute of every day anyway. Even if Liam isn't actively seeking to get even he is crazy enough to do something really bad to them if he ever gets half a chance. Keith won't be broken up if he hears that Liam is in the explosion.

Keith had some serious doubts about Veronica seeing Logan again but after what Logan did to save his daughter's life he can't find any reason that doesn't seem petty to keep them apart. How do you object to someone willing to face Liam Fitzpatrick or a gun totting Cassidy to save your daughter? Logan has turned out ok but he has too much money and not enough drive. Keith doesn't want him stopping Veronica from going to college.

He'd hoped Veronica would get a normal job now that she is out of school but it just didn't look like it is in the cards. She has too much of a reputation for helping people in her own age group and they are the next generation of adults. So many of them have been helped by her at one time or another that they are in the habit of pulling her into cases.

She has a chance to go to the FBI but he doesn't think she will really be very happy there. Veronica doesn't play by the rules very well and she isn't much of a team player. All things required of an FBI agent. He is afraid she is always going to work in what has become the family business.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sheriff Lamb is thankful that the Fitzpatrick place is outside his jurisdiction. This is going to be a mess and he is just as happy the state police have ended up with it. Let their crime lab sift through the wreckage, if they even bother. Lamb has more immediate concerns. It is almost election time and he has to figure out how to make sure Keith Mars doesn't run against him again. It was close enough last time that he doesn't want to take any chances.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mick walks in just as Josef is punching in the codes to take a peak at what Logan's financials look like this week. Mick suspects this has become Josef's new hobby.

Mick looks over his shoulder. "Hey the kid bought a house. What do you know?"

"I didn't know you could read financial paperwork." Josef snarks.

"Just because I let you take care of my money doesn't mean I don't pay some attention to what you do with it." Mick says.

"He sold the property that had belonged to Echolls and bought this other piece at a good price. It should give him enough extra capital to keep the house going fine for a year or so. I'm not sure why he would want a house." Josef wonders. "They cost a lot to maintain especially in that neighborhood."

"Maybe he wants a home for him and his lady. You ever think maybe he wants to settle down with Veronica?"

Josef shakes his head. "Maybe…something tells me that isn't going to happen any time soon."

"Why do you say that?" Mick asks

"Weevil called yesterday and said he got an invite to a good-bye to the neighborhood party at Logan's place and that it sounded like it would be a huge blow out. As for her moving in with Logan…she still spends about half her nights at her dads. That doesn't sound to me like she's ready to spend them all with Logan."

Mick sits down in the chair across from Josef's desk. "So, what did you want to ask me about?"

Josef doesn't know if this is really a good idea but it is worth a try. "I was wondering how you would feel about revealing your secret identity to Logan and Veronica?"

Mick looks at Josef like he's crazy. "Josef I'm the last vampire you should be asking to do this. You want some one like you, who really likes being a vampire. I probably won't give them the perspective you would like."

Josef waves a dismissive hand. "I thought you were getting better about being a vamp. I haven't heard the 'I'm a monster' rant in quite awhile."

Mick snorts. "You can thank Beth for that. She said she'd stake me if she heard it one more time and I was pretty sure she meant it. Besides, I think your both probably right. It's not so much being a vampire that makes me a monster. It's what I do with it. There a lot of people, Beth included who would be dead now if I didn't have my abilities that came with being a vampire. That doesn't mean I wouldn't love to be human…. I'd like to have a family…. although that doesn't seem like it's completely impossible anymore."

Josef smiles and can see at least one more upside to having a son. He knows how much Mick would love to be a father. Logan gives Mick hope for that. "So really the only thing standing between you and actually liking the whole vampire thing is sunbathing and chewing your food?"

Mick smiles. "Don't push it Josef. I'm getting there. I just think someone with a bit more enthusiasm for the lifestyle would be a better choice."

Josef grins. "To bad you haven't turned Beth yet. I have a hunch she'd be perfect."

Mick flashes his fangs at Josef who laughs. "It's coming you and I both know it."

"Actually since your latest revelation, she'll probably wait as long as she can."

Josef thinks about it for a minute. "To see if she can get pregnant."

Mick nods. "That would be my guess. You didn't notice her pushing her wine away the other night when you said you didn't know how this happened or how often. Hey, let's get back to your family instead of mine. Isn't there anybody besides me that you can get to do this? How about Weevil? He's very familiar with them, Veronica must trust him."

"Yea, but if Weevil does it I may lose piece of the security puzzle. If Veronica starts shutting him out because she decides she can't trust him anymore, than things that have been set in place don't work as well. Plus he's not exactly the billboard for normalcy that you can project. Because you don't live feed you're almost like a bridge between them and us. You keep trying to keep a foot in each camp and that might reassure them. You also have that whole good guy morality thing going for you that I'm not so sure Weevil is really acquainted with." Josef knows Mick isn't going to be able to keep straddling the fence forever. It can't be done over the long haul, but Mick just hasn't realized that yet. He's just not old enough to know better.

"Josef, I'll think about it." Mick says. "While I'm here Beth had an interesting idea that could go along with that. It's certainly not one that you or I would have come up with that's for sure. She thinks that once they are presented with the reality of vampires and if they take that information well, that you should just go to them and go at it head on with the truth of who you are and what you are. No brother act, no trickery just the truth. Beth and I would be there with you, especially Beth since she is still human and can relate to the whole vampire/human relationship stuff."

"The truth?" Josef stares at Mick a little dumbfounded. "I'm going to have to think about that one."

Mick gets up to leave. "Call me when you get done thinking that one over. And I'll call you after I talk to Beth about the other thing."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Logan looks over at the sleeping form in the bed next to him. He smiles and snuggles up behind her. They have actually managed to go almost a year without a break up. They are getting better at learning to deal with each other's personality quirks.

He hoped after what happened on the roof with Cassidy that she would decide to stop her P.I. work. No such luck. He hates to admit it, but she is too good at it. He just wishes she had a better way of protecting herself. She is so tiny compared to most of the bad guys. He remembers the day that Fitzpatrick had thrown her around like a rag doll. If he hadn't been there he didn't want to think of what could have happened. She wouldn't let him protect her unless she was in so much trouble someone was trying to kill her. Damn that was frustrating. It probably isn't going to get much better. He looked over her choices for college and they were all law enforcement and criminology classes. So, she's either going to end up as a cop or keep at it as a P.I. At least if she is a P.I. she can pick and choose her cases.

He shakes his head to clear the thoughts away. He'll just deal with it as it comes. It's all he can do with her. Veronica is not good at taking advice or help from anyone. He nuzzles her neck and hears a soft moan escape her lips. He smiles and starts kissing his way down her neck.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mick pulls up in front of the BuzzWire offices. It's late but security knows to let Beth go in and out as she pleases. Mick stops at the desk and the security guy tells him Beth said for him to come on up when he got there. Mick watches her from the doorway. He can see she's studying the paperwork in front of her. He clears his throat. He doesn't want to startle her. She looks up and smiles at him.

"Ready to go? I can come back if you're not." He says.

She stands up and gathers her work up. "No, that's fine. I'm ready."

They walk down and Beth signs out at the desk and they get into the Benz before they start to talk.

Mick tells Beth that Josef asked him to show the kids that vampires exist.

Beth laughs.

"What's so funny?" Mick asks.

She shakes her head. "Josef wants you to tell not one but two humans about vampires."

"As you pointed out, you sure can't tell one without telling the other. What I may do is go back down there and talk to Weevil and see what he thinks their reactions would be, and if he thinks they can keep it to themselves. I'm risking a lot if they talk. My home is here. I don't want to have to leave." Mick looks at Beth. "Too many people here matter to me to have to leave."

"Don't worry. Some of those people would follow you anywhere. You're right though nobody wants you to have to leave. Do you want me to go with you?"

"I do, but you can't. I can quietly slide in and out of town by myself without anyone really being the wiser. It's harder to do with a beautiful blond at my side."

They get home and Beth sits down on the couch to relax while Mick calls Josef to get Weevil's cell number. Mick tells Josef he will at least talk to Weevil about the prospect of telling Logan and Veronica about Vampires. "You realize I'm risking a lot if I do this and it turns out these two can't keep their mouths shut. I lose my home."

Josef feels a little guilty for asking Mick to do this. He knows he's right and he also knows he has no idea what Logan and Veronica will do. "Look, I know it's a lot to ask. You don't have to do it. I don't want you and Beth leaving town either."

"Well, let me talk to Weevil and see what he says and then I'll decide." Mick says.

"Tell Beth I've been thinking over her idea and she may just be right. It may be the right way to go. Logan's had enough people lie to him. I'd like to show him he can have some family who won't. Let me know what you get from Weevil. Also ask him about the unfortunate fortunes of the Fitzpatrick's and see if anyone knows how many of them got caught in the explosion. When are you going down to talk to Weevil?"

"Probably not for a couple more days. I still have a couple cases that need looking after. Once I wind those up I'll go down." Mick hangs up and sees that Beth has fallen asleep on the couch. He goes over and gently picks her up. She snuggles into him and he takes her upstairs to bed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Hope you like it...  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer...not mine in any way...belongs to CBS...WB...for entertainment purposes only...no infringement intended...Just my ida of fun.**

 **Some violence and a little more swearing...**

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Several days after his initial trip to Neptune to see about Hanna, Mick is heading down the Pacific Coast Highway once again. The sun is just setting behind him He has his motorcycle out of storage. He'd forgotten how much he loves riding. He smiles when he thinks of the look on Beth's face when he came down stairs.

"Hey, I didn't know you had a bike." She said noticing the helmet under his arm.

"It's been put away for a while. It's down stairs in my extra storage. I use to ride all the time. I thought since I was only going down for a few hours I'd take the Harley."

"No wonder you didn't want me to go. I see how it is." Beth smiles "Don't you be picking up any biker chicks."

Mick takes her in his arms and smiles down at her. "You can be my biker chick."

"What does it look like? I mean is it a chopper or what?" She is teasing him.

"This one is. It's black with extended forks. We'll get you a helmet and leathers and you can scoot up close to me and wrap your arms around me and we can go for nice long rides if you like."

"That sounds nice." Beth steps back from him and circles him looking him over. She notices that he has a small cooler at his feet. "Provisions?"

"Yea, Just in case. You never know what might come up."

He has on a black T-shirt, black jeans, boots and an old well-worn leather jacket. He doesn't really need the extra protection of the leather because he will heal, but there's no use skidding your skin across the pavement if you don't have to. It still hurts like hell. "hhhhmmm You look pretty hot dressed like that."

Mick grabs her and kisses her soundly. "Now, I have to go. I'll call you when I'm on my way back. I'm meeting Weevil at a bar out on the highway far enough out that neither one of us should be noticed."

Mick knows that Josef is getting antsy about seeing Logan. He told Mick that he would wait until they could find a way to meet Logan that was best for everyone, but he also knows that Josef has never been good at waiting. After 400 years he is use to getting his own way. Mick hopes what he hears from Weevil is promising.

Mick opens the front door and Josef is standing there leaning against the wall waiting for him. "Josef what are you doing here?"

He smirks at Mick. "I'm going with you."

Mick shakes his head. "No, your not. Besides I'm taking the bike."

"Yes, I see that. Just don't go all Easy Rider on me again." Josef teases.

Mick shakes his head. "Josef." He has a warning in his voice.

Josef smiles broadly at him.

Mick smiles. "You're going to get me in trouble, if you keep that up."

Beth watches them and decides to find out about that when she has Mick alone.

"Josef, you can't go. The Ferrari is too conspicuous."

"That's why I brought the Charger."

Beth smiles at Josef, "How many cars do you have?"

"I have a few. I almost always drive the Ferrari for appearances, but I have few cars that I've bought over the years. This one is a '69 Charger. Black of course."

Mick smiles. "Don't let him fool you. He could start his own car museum."

"Says the guy with a dozen motorcycles." Josef counters.

"You have a dozen motorcycles?" Beth laughs. "I learn new things about you all the time."

Mick smiles. "I like 'em. What can I say?"

Josef shrugs. "And I like AB negative, beautiful women, fast cars and old scotch. We all have our weaknesses." Josef turns back to Mick. "I'm going."

Beth smiles at the pair. She notices that this is one of the few times she's seen Josef when he's not in a suit. He's wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt and a black leather jacket. She's smiling at Josef and thinking how cute he looks and Mick seemingly reading her mind growls at her. She laughs and gives him a kiss. "What is it with you two and black clothing?"

"Harder to see in the night" Mick replies

He turns back to Josef. I'll be right back. Mick comes back to the door with a dark baseball hat and hands it to Josef. "Fine you can go but just in case put this on. It will help keep your face in shadow. If you're going down there we don't want anyone thinking your Logan."

Josef takes the hat and pulls it down over his head and down the road they go.

The pair pulls in to the parking lot. This place reminds Mick of the night he killed Tejada. Same kind of dump but it should be a safe place to talk things over. People mind their own business in a place like this for fear of ending up on the wrong side of something.

Mick goes to the bar and gets a couple whiskeys and Josef heads over to where he sees Weevil sitting in the corner.

"What no Ferrari?" Weevil asks

"No, no Ferrari. Brought MY Charger instead."

"Shit. That charger should still be mine. If you hadn't pulled that last card on the inside straight you would have lost your Cobra instead of ending up with my Charger. Mick, you riding a bike? I thought I heard a bike about the same time as the Charger."

"Yep. I started missing the ride after we talked to you the other day. I figured this was a good time to get it on the road again."

Weevil looks at Josef. "Let's get down to business. Josef, you probably want to know about the Fitzpatrick's. My contact in the state police said they have confirmation through dental records on everyone but Liam I've seen him. In addition I've actually seen him so their right on the head count. Luckily I know where he should be when it's time to do something about him."

"Dammit. That's not good. He's the one I really wanted taken down. We need to do something about him as soon as possible."

Weevil nods. "We will. Don't worry, just not tonight. He should stay down for a while trying to let everyone think he's dead." Weevil frowns. "I could have told you than on the phone. I didn't expect to see you tonight. I thought it was just going to be Mick. So, what are you doing here?"

"We need some information and I wanted to hear it first hand. How well do you really know Logan and Veronica?" Josef says.

Weevil shrugs. "Pretty well, more her than him. Logan and I had some early issues about Lily and it's kind of colored our dealings."

"The girlfriend that was murdered? What the hell is that about?" Mick asks

Weevil looks a little sheepish. "I didn't know I was going to end up protecting the guy or I probably wouldn't have been doing his girl."

Mick shakes his head in disgust. "Shit. Josef, did you know this?"

"I knew there were some problems but I hadn't realized that was what started it. At the time it seemed more important to have someone watching for trouble than worry about them getting along. I'm surprised either of them trusts you at all." Josef says.

Weevil continues. "Things have gotten better with Logan over time. I play poker with him and his friends once in a while. I let them take enough off me now and then to make it worth their while. For that reason most of my dealings are with Veronica and because most of the time she needs protecting more than he does. Logan and I are never going to be buddy buddy but things aren't all that bad. I think he finally realized that Lily was a train wreck and if it wasn't me it was going to be somebody else."

Josef decides to get to the heart of the matter. "How do you think they would react to finding out that there are Vampires? Better yet, do you think they would keep their mouths shut even if they didn't like the idea?"

Weevil thinks about Logan and Veronica weighing what he knows about them. "It would depend on who they are exposed to. I would say if it were someone that they have accepted as a human, that feeling would probably extend to them as a vampire. Truthfully I wouldn't worry a whole lot about them knowing."

"You don't think they would be horrified?" Mick asks

Weevil turns to Josef. "Did you tell him Logan's history?"

Josef snarls softly. "Some."

Weevil snorts. "That kid had a father who beat him. Aaron Echols broke that kid's arm the first time when he was 6 years old. His medical history is ugly."

Mick is watching Josef. His shoulders are stiff and his eyes are white behind the bill of the cap. He's pissed. Mick clamps on Jose's arm to get his attention. "Josef, not here."

Josef fights to push down his anger and his eyes return to their normal blue. "I didn't tell him all of it. I didn't tell him that Lynn stayed in a drunken oblivion most of the time so she wouldn't have to face her responsibility to protect Logan. What a bitch. I wish I'd known all this before I helped her out."

"Then," Weevil continues, "The old man slept with Lily and killed her and he tried to kill Veronica and from what I understand he almost succeeded." Weevil shakes his head. "Then there's Veronica who has been exposed to the worst of people since she was little because her father was a cop and didn't see anything wrong with her knowing what people are capable of. That one I can't figure out. Her mother is also a drunk who took Veronica's college money and disappeared. These two know enough about monsters of the human variety. I think if the vampire stuff was presented by someone they liked it would be fine."

Weevil downs his drink and orders another round. "So I take it your going to tell the kid his real bloodlines."

Josef nods slowly. "It may get to that, but we think it might be better if they got an idea about vamps from someone they like and then see how it goes. So, what would you think of them finding out about vampires from Mick?"

"V is going to want to know why you are telling them. She's not going to take it at face value. She figures everyone has an angle and she's going to want to know what yours is." Weevil smiles. "You'll like her Josef, she has trust issues."

"Any ideas on how much we can tell her?" Mick asks.

Before Weevil can answer his phone rings. "Hold on its V."

"Hey V."

Weevil looks at his phone and listens again.

"Damn. Damn Damn." Weevil shuts his phone.

"What's the matter?"

"It sounds like Liam has V and Logan at gun point at the Sack n Pack. I think she just dialed and left the phone open." Weevil says as he stands.

Mick throws some money down on the table and they run out the door. They follow Weevil to the Sack n Pack. Weevil pulls up a block behind the Sack n Pack. He gets off his bike. It only takes a moment or Josef and Mick to join him. He points through the wooded area. "Follow me. These woods backup to the back of the store. We won't be seen. I doubt Liam is watching the back door."

"I'm going to circle the building see what I can see." Mick says.

Weevil grabs his arm. "Be careful. The whole front of the store is windows. You don't want to be seen."

Mick smiles grimly. "Not my first rodeo."

Weevil nods. "Yea, okay."

It only takes a moment for Mick to return and the three men walk back into the shadows. "I went past the front glass fast enough I'm sure none of them could track the movement. Moving the fast I just got flashes but there are several people towards the front of the store. It's hard to say who but it's more than three people, I'd guess more like five."

"I know this place." Weevil says. "There is a trap door for roof access that leads back into a stock room. There is a fire door in back, it's only alarmed when it's locked and it's usually the last thing Wallace locks so it should be open, if not I'm sure the lock can be popped. You want the roof or the back door?"

Mick thinks about it for a minute. "Josef and I will take the back door. You know the insides better so you get the stock room. We'll try and be in position when you get down. Try and distract them and we'll see if we can take them before anyone gets hurt."

Mick turns to Josef. "Josef, you don't do anything until you see me move."

Josef nods. "Let's do it."

Weevil nods and jumps for the roof in one leap. Mick and Josef go to the door and sure enough it is unlocked. They quietly walk through the stockroom. There is a kid on the floor. It's not Logan. This must be Wallace. Josef hears the kid's heartbeat and it's strong. He has a bump on his head but he's breathing fine and his pulse is steady. No sign of Logan or Veronica yet. They make their way through the stockroom. Just outside the swinging doors that enter into the store there are beer coolers and one of the guys has his head stuck in the cooler looking for the beer he wants. Mick silently moves through the door and behind him. He taps him on the shoulder. The man straightens up and looks behind him. Before he can react Mick puts him a sleeper hold. It only takes a minute and the man slides to the floor. Mick motions for Josef to go to the other side of the store and make his way up front. Josef nods and they cautiously move forward.

Mick looks around the end of an isle and sees Liam wildly pointing a gun at Logan and Veronica. He's telling his two remaining buddies how he should be able to ransom Logan for enough money to get all the drugs they want. Mick watches Liam. He's sweating and shaking. What ever happens better be soon. Liam could come apart at the seams at any time. Mick sees that all three have handguns. Logan and Veronica look scared but not yet panicked. Logan has his arms around Veronica and is watching the three very closely.

Liam turns to the guy closest to Mick's side of the store. "Hey, you know that pretty blond sure has a great ass." Josef sees Logan stiffen. "We should give her a spin." Veronica moves farther into Logan's arms. Josef thinks Mick better make a move quick. If they go after Veronica it's going to go down hill fast. He can see from the set of Logan's jaw that they will only get the girl over his dead body. Josef knows, the look, he's seen it in the mirror a few times.

Weevil quietly exits the stock room. It leads into the manager's office. The owner has installed cameras all over the store because it's been robbed so many times. Weevil watches the cameras and sees that Mick and Josef are in place. He can also see that if he exits the office to the store area they are going to see him right away and things could get out of hand. Weevil decides that he better come up with a distraction. He goes back to the stock room and slams the roof hatch hoping it will make enough noise to get their attention.

The sudden bang on the roof stops all three and they freeze. Liam points to the door to the office. "Hey Billy go in there and see what's going on." The one called Billy moves towards the door. Liam hops off the counter and moves towards Veronica and Logan. Mick and Josef decide at the same time that there is no more waiting.

Mick goes for the closest one to him and Josef goes for Liam. Mick quickly snatches the gun from the guy in front of him and knocks him to the floor. Mick turns to the kids to tell them to get out the back door but before he can say anything the thug springs up and sticks a knife in Mick's shoulder. Mick lets the vamp out and picks the guy up by the throat and snaps his neck and lets him drop in a heap. Josef has Liam by the throat and doesn't waste any time. He throws Liam against the wall and he crashes to the floor. Josef sees the one called Billy turn and he has a gun in his hand pointing towards the kids. Josef puts himself between them and the gun while he goes after Billy. Billy fires at the kids and Josef takes two bullets before he gets to him. Josef flares his fangs and drops the man before he can fire a third shot. Josef falls to the floor.

Mick watches Veronica and Logan. Both are watching Mick pull the knife out of his shoulder. He still has crystal white eyes and fangs. Once he gets the knife out he watches them watch him as his eyes go back to brown and the fangs disappear. He looks at the wound as it figures they've gone this far he might as well make sure they know what they are seeing.

Mick watches the kids. "Come on let's get you out of here before the cops show up."

Weevil grabs the security tape out of the VCR and comes out of the office. "What happened? Is everybody ok?" Mick looks at Logan and Veronica and gives them a small shake of his head. Logan doesn't say anything but he remembers Wallace. "Hey, has anyone seen Wallace?"

Mick remembers the kid on the floor in back. "There is a kid in back. He's got a bump on his head but he seems to be ok. Weevil why don't you go check on him." Weevil heads for the back.

Mick hears a moan from the floor. He walks over and gives Josef a hand to help him up. As Josef gets up the hat comes off his head and Veronica and Logan just stare at Josef. He smiles at them. "Ah, Hi. Explanations later, right now though, Mick is right, we need to get you out of here."

Logan doesn't know what is more incredible. The fact that these two both have fangs, that one just took two bullets and doesn't have a mark on him except for the holes in his shirt or the fact that it's like looking in a mirror. Nobody is moving. Josef moves to put his hat back on, all the time studying his son.

Weevil walks up with Wallace in tow.

Mick walks over and stands in front of Logan and Veronica and forces them to look at him. Mick tries again. "Hey, explanations are going to have to wait. Please go. Now. We will take care of this. Don't say anything to anyone….please." Logan shakes himself and nods. "Now take Wallace and go. Just make sure if anyone asks he locked up just like always does. That's all he has to say. I'll contact you in a couple days and I'll explain but you have to keep quiet about everything that happened here. Can you both do that? It's really important."

Veronica nods this time.

"Take Wallace out of here. Give me his keys. He's got a bump on his head. He should be ok but you might want to keep an eye on him for at least 12 hours and no aspirin. Wake him every half hour or so and make sure his pupils aren't two different sizes. If he acts out of the ordinary at all get him to a hospital quick. The three of them start to leave and Mick quietly calls to Logan. "Remember what I said, please….." Logan nods not trusting himself to speak and they leave.

Josef goes over and nudges Liam with his foot. "Now what?"

"Weevil you have any contacts we can use to clean this up?" Mick asks.

"Yea, I'll take care of it." Weevil dials a number and explains the situation then he hangs up and turns back to Mick and Josef. "We don't have a regular cleaner like you do in LA, not enough goes on around here but on occasions as this I do have someone to call. She'll be here in a few minutes." Weevil turns the store lights down so it looks like a normal night. They wipe down anywhere they think there will be prints and carry the bodies out the back. Weevil grabs the security tape on his way out. They lock the doors but leave the roof open so the damage can be blamed on a simple breaking and entering. They leave the keys on the manager's desk and out the roof they go. Weevil's part time cleaner shows up and takes the bodies with her, never to be seen again. They head back out of town to the bar they started at. Mick and Josef stay in the dark parking lot for a minute and get some blood out of their vehicles. Both need it to help heal wounds. They go back inside and order a couple more drinks.

"So, I take it you both vamped out for the kids." Weevil asks.

Mick nods. "They both looked shocked but I'm not so sure they weren't more shocked by Josef than the fangs. Shocked is much better than horrified. In this case shocked might be good."

"You really going to let them think about it for 2 whole days?" Weevil says with some surprise.

Mick snorts. "Actually we might go three, if I can keep Josef in check. If they can keep quiet for 3 days without much more prompting than I gave them tonight then it should be safe to tell them more. If not, I'm leaving town in a hurry. They don't know Josef so he should be ok if he stays out of the limelight and I'm pretty sure we covered you. I'm the only one who should be at risk if they talk."

Weevil shakes his head. "Mick, if this backfires you're screwed."

"Your right I am. One thing about it, I've at least been down this road with a human lately." Mick says.

"The pretty blond reporter knows what you are?" Weevil asks with some surprise.

"Beth, yea, she knows." Mick smiles. "And she loves me anyway."

Weevil shakes his head. "What is it with you guys and humans? Too much trouble for anything serious if you ask me."

Josef watches Weevil closely. "You know once we do this your going to have to be extra careful around them. They will know what to look for and if you don't break the pattern they'll know your part of the tribe. I'm afraid that if they know about you they won't trust you as much and the security will be compromised."

Weevil nods. "Yea, I'll be careful."

Mick and Josef stand up. "Well, Weevil, it's been fun. We've set the wheels in motion, now let's see where it takes us."

They walk outside and watch Weevil as he roars out into the night. Mick turns to Josef "You're being uncharacteristically quiet."

Josef smiles at Mick "Good looking kid. I'll say that for him."

Mick smiles and shakes his head.

Josef punches up Ryder's number on his phone. "Well, it's started. Put taps on all their phones, Veronica's dad included. If they start talking I want to hear about it. Mick may have to leave town for a while and we want to give him a head start. Do you have the new papers if he and Beth need them? Good." Josef hangs up and turns to Mick. "Mick Thanks. This means a lot. Ryder has your papers ready if you need them but I'm still betting on the kids keeping quiet."

Mick shakes his head. "Josef don't get your hopes up to high. They still may not accept what we are. We'll give them two maybe three days and then the three of us will come back and see them." Mick straddles his bike. "I'll call you tomorrow night. I'm going home to see Beth. It's been a long night."

Mick calls Beth. He gets the machine. She must be taking a nap so she could be awake when he gets in. He leaves her a message. "So much for quietly sliding in and out of town. On my way home, it's midnight now. I should be at our place in about 90 min. Love you." Mick roars off into the night followed closely by Josef's Charger.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **As always love to hear any comments...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Not mine….Owned by CBS….WB and I think a few others….Love both shows…just want to have some fun.**

 **I probably should have had this as part of the last one but I cut it in the wrong place so this is a short one. I know this isn't going to be what some of you are waiting for. Sorry.**

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Logan pulls up in front of the Grand. He looks in back of the Jeep at Wallace. "You sure you don't need see a doctor?"

He tries not to shake his head. "Naw. I don't really want to go home though and listen to my mom ask me about the knot on the back of my head and tell her to wake me every half hour."

Veronica turns and looks at Wallace. "Hey no problem. We have a spare bedroom and I'll set the alarm and wake you every half hour. Just call your mom and tell her you're at our place watching videos or something."

Logan hears Veronica say "Our place" and hopes that's a good sign.

"Let's go upstairs and you can call your mom." Veronica hears herself talk but thinks how odd she sounds. Not like her at all.

Veronica and Logan steady Wallace and he seems to be able to walk on his own. The three of them go upstairs. Wallace calls Alicia and then goes to the spare bedroom to see if he can get some sleep. Veronica sets the alarm on her phone for half an hour so she can wake Wallace and check on him.

Logan and Veronica finally get to sit down. "Damn, I never did get my six pack."

Veronica laughs and Logan thinks she sounds a little odd. He holds his arm up and she clings to him. She starts to cry like her heart is breaking. He runs his hand up and down her back trying to calm her. Her crying slows down and she pulls back from him and gets on her knees next to him. Veronica grabs the front of his shirt and pulls him into a desperate kiss. He can feel her let go with a small shudder and then she gets back into the shelter of his arms. Logan continues to try and calm her as he can feel her trembling.

Fear for him is the only thing that ever makes her react like this. "Don't ever do that again."

"What go to the Sack n Pack?" He jokes. "How was I to know those idiots were going to try and rob the place?"

"No, not that. I felt you tense when they were talking….about me…you were going to make a move and get yourself killed. Don't ever think of doing that again. I love you to much."

Logan makes a noise deep inside. "Nobody touches you, ever…I can't help it. Besides it turned out ok. Mick and the…. other guy…took care of things. I wonder what they were doing with Weevil and how did they know where we were?"

"I called Weevil and left the line open when Liam was shooting his mouth off." Veronica calms down and Logan knows she's thinking about all that they saw." Hopefully that will give her mind another place to go instead of thinking of Fitzpatrick holding them at gunpoint. "What do you think we saw tonight?"

Logan shakes his head. "All I know is that whatever it…they were we'd be dead without them. You know I like Mick and he seems to be a good guy. I sort of told him that we wouldn't say anything to anyone about any of it. He said he would be back in a couple days to explain. Does that work for you?"

"Yea, that's fine. I'm very curious as to what that was about. I mean if I had to guess, I'd think we just met a couple of vampires and one of them is a dead ringer for you. You know the fangs and all but I just don't know. I mean, we've seen him during the day and he seems like a really nice guy. I can't quite vision him biting people and all that. I wonder if Beth is like them or if she even knows what they are, whatever that is. Not even to mention your double."

"Did you see them move?" Logan says with a touch of awe. "One minute they were on one side of the store and the next second they was standing next to Fitzpatrick snapping the gun out of his hand. It was amazing. The other guy takes two bullets and two minutes later he's standing up and not a mark on him. I wonder what else they can do. Did you see Mick pull that knife out of his shoulder? Pretty cool really."

"Yea, I saw that too. It is pretty cool as long as they are on the side of the angels. I have about a million questions. This should be one heck of an explanation. When did Mick say he'd be back?" Veronica asks.

"He said a couple days. By then I should be out of here and we'll have more privacy in the house. Well, except for Dick. We'll have to make sure he's gone when Mick comes back. We sure don't want him to hear this."

"You know I've been thinking about that house. I probably should have said something before but this house kind of creeps me out. I mean for god sakes Logan…. Kendall?"

Logan has the decency to look embarrassed. "Yea, I know that's why I had all the furniture hauled off and they should be done repainting tomorrow. Does that help?"

She smiles at him. "You got a new bed?"

He smiles and nods. "Of course."

"I guess." She smiles "Will there be enough furniture for company?"

Logan gives her sly smirk "Well, I haven't bought anything but a bed. Somehow I didn't think beyond that. Didn't know we were going to have company so soon. Maybe I can do that after we make sure that Wallace is ok and we get some sleep. You know…you could go with me and help me pick some stuff out. Maybe I could get an extra key made for you and make some closet space…. what do you think?

She smiles at him "The key is ok. I don't know about the other. Are you asking me to move in with you Logan?"

"Yea, if you want? Veronica I want to wake up next to you every morning. I want you to be with me."

"and Dick" she laughs.

Logan shakes his head. "Yea and Dick. You know it's like having a big dog around."

"I'll help you pick out some furniture for the new place and I'll take a key and I'll bring a toothbrush and some stuff over but for now I need to be able to still go home to my dad's when I need to, but I'll let you know where I am. Can we do that for now?"

Logan lets out a sigh. Better than he'd hoped for. He never knows how far he can get her to commit to anything. He was afraid she'd get spooked and push him away but this sounded pretty good. "Yea, babe this will be fine."

Veronica's alarm goes off and she goes in and wakes Wallace up. Wallace seems to be doing fine. Both his pupils are the same size. She lets him go back to sleep and goes back to Logan on the couch.

"Logan, you know we can't say anything about knowing anything about Liam at the Sack n Pack. We're going to have to make sure Wallace knows that too. I hope he's not supposed to work tomorrow. Maybe I'll wake him and he can call in sick if he's supposed to go in."

"Yea but if he calls in sick right after the place is trashed it might look suspicious. Let's hope he doesn't have to work tomorrow. You better ask him next time you wake him up."

I'll tell you one thing I was watching Liam and he was sweating and shaking and waving that gun around. I was way more scared of him than anything Mick or his friend did."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mick parks the Harley next to the Benz and goes up to the apartment. Beth is making herself some coffee. She comes out of the kitchen and comes over to where he's standing at the door and gives him a kiss. She sees the knife cut in his jacket and looks at him questioningly. "I got your message on the machine. I take it things went a little different than you expected. "

"You have no idea." He says.

"I'm going to go upstairs and get cleaned up. Can you pour me a glass of A positive while I'm gone?"

"Of course. You look tired. You sure you don't want to wait until tomorrow to tell me about it."

Mick looks at her a little nervously. "It can't wait."

Mick comes down dressed only in his sweat pants and sits down and sips his drink. He tells Beth all about the night.

Mick looks over at her and takes her hands. "What's the matter?"

She squeezes his hand. "I thought you were just going to talk to Weevil. I didn't think you were going to take a chance on them so soon."

"We didn't really have much choice."

Beth sighs. "I know. I'm just scared. I hope they stay quiet about it. When are we going back down to talk to them?"

"I thought I'd give them about three days to sit and think about it. If they can go three days without telling anyone then they should be trustworthy enough to tell them the rest of it. Logan should be moved into the new house by then. It will give us more privacy. Although he bought the house from a guy running from the feds so the house really needs to be debugged before we do this. I'll have to have Josef talk to Ryder about a road trip."

Beth looks very alarmed at the prospect of the feds hearing them. "I hope Josef knows what a good friend you are."

Mick laughs "Don't worry, when this is over I'll remind him, over and over and over."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In the morning before Mick goes to bed he calls Logan. "Hey I hear you bought a new house."

Logan is surprised that Mick knows that but doesn't say much about it. "Yea, we're going to pick out furniture today. Hopefully we can get some stuff delivered before we have company."

"Could you do me a favor? Could you not talk about uh…what happened last night until I get there? You bought the house from a guy the feds are chasing. I'd sort of like to have all the bugs removed before we have any serious discussions that should stay quiet."

Logan is very quiet for a minute. "It never occurred to me that the house might be bugged. Man it sure a good thing you called me. I'll talk to Veronica about it before we go over there again. We'll be careful. Don't worry."

"Thanks. I'll call you in a couple days when I have some thing set up to make sure it's clear."

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Two days later Mick calls Logan's cell.

"Hey, this is Mick."

"Hey."

"Look I was wondering if Beth and I could come down and visit you and Veronica tomorrow."

"I'm guessing you already know the new address. Are you bringing anyone else?" Logan really wants to talk to his double.

"Yes another friend you briefly met the other night and an electronics expert. He seems to think it will take about an hour or two to go over the whole house and grounds, if that's ok?"

"No problem. I'd rather someone did it anyway. It kind of creeps me out thinking the feds might be listening in. I told Veronica and she won't even let me kiss her in the house until she's sure it's clean. She thinks she can find the easy ones but I know she'd feel better if someone looked it over that was an expert. No problem, believe me. I'll tell her to wait and let your guy do it."

"We'll be there about 8 tomorrow night if that works for you guys."

"What ever you want. We'll be ready. I really want to talk to your friend and V is so curious. The girl has no shame. She will ask anything that comes to mind." Mick thinks of Beth asking him how sex works with vampires and humans. "Believe me I'm use to it. You forget I'm living with a reporter."

Logan laughs. "Yea, I'm not sure which one would be worse."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Three days later Josef shows up at Mick's front door. Beth is sitting at her laptop getting some work done and Mick is still asleep. She goes to the door and Josef is standing there with his hands in his pockets, rocking back and forth heel to toe. Beth tries to smoother a smile as she lets him in. She can see that Josef is a bundle of energy. "So, your only about two hours early."

"Can't help it. Is Mick up yet?" Josef asks.

"No, he's sleeping. He was out doing surveillance late this morning. He'll probably sleep for at least another hour. You might as well come on in. Although I don't know what I'm going to do to keep you occupied for a couple hours. Where's Ryder? I thought he was coming along to debug the house?"

"We'll swing by the office and pick him up. He's cranky. He told me to leave him alone so he could check his equipment. He said he would be ready in a couple hours and for me to go away. I've never heard him quite so cranky. Hey, do you think should have worn jeans or is this ok?"

Beth looks Josef over. He's wearing black tailored pants a dark red shirt and black suspenders. "Josef I think you look very nice. That's one of my favorite shirts. You look like you just stepped out of GQ."

"But do you think it presents the right…?" He trails away absently waving a hand in the air.

"Josef, you have to be who you are. He'll like you more if you do that than if you pretend to be something you're not. This is what you normally wear. It's who you are."

He nods and starts to wonder the room.

"Josef how come you're not off making money? It might give you something to do to keep you occupied." Beth asks.

"I dropped 10 million this morning, I'm too distracted. I don't like losing money. It makes me antsy."

Beth smiles and tries to think of something she can do to keep Josef busy until it's time to get going.

Mick suddenly wakes up. At first he can't figure out what has jolted him awake. He's afraid that Beth is in trouble and then he realizes that there is an over extended Josef down stairs and he's got so much energy rolling off him that it will be impossible to sleep while he's around. Josef is going to make every vampire who's near him prickly until he calms down. Mick can't think of anything that would hit him hard enough to do the job, except maybe an elephant tranquilizer. He decides he might as well get up. He is sure that Beth has her hands full down stairs with Josef.

Mick goes in and takes a shower, gets ready and comes down stairs. Beth and Josef turn as he comes down the stair. Beth watches Mick. His hair is wet and tousled. He's wearing black jeans and a dark button down shirt. Beth breathes deeply trying to get the scent of him across the room. Mick zips across the room to her and takes her in his arms and kisses her good morning.

"Jeeze you guys. Get a room." Josef complains.

"We'd have one if someone hadn't shown up two hours early." Mick snaps.

Josef looks at his feet and doesn't say anything.

"Couldn't help it." Josef says softly.

"I know but we really can't leave for a while. Sit, Josef and have a drink."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **This breaks in a weird place but there's only one more to go and it was kind of huge.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Not mine….Owned by CBS….WB and I think a few others….Love both shows…just want to have some fun.**

 **More swearing...**

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Logan sighs in exasperation. "Veronica they aren't going to be here for at least four more hours. It's only four and Mick said they would be here about eight. Why don't you take a nap? This could take awhile. You may need a nap to stay up all night."

"Do I look like I could take a nap?" she snaps at him.

He knows she hasn't been sleeping much since the night at the Sack n Pack. The first night they stayed up to keep an eye on Wallace. After that she woke him up a couple times each night. He could tell she was having some really bad nightmares and she's not ready to tell him about them. On top of that he hasn't been sleeping all that well either.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you." She sighs. "Ok, let's go get comfortable on the couch. I'll try and relax. I just need some answers, you know?"

"It's ok. You know that. Come here V." Logan says.

They snuggle together on the couch and before they know it both of them are asleep. Veronica hears her alarm on her phone and nudges Logan. "Time to get up sleepy head. They should be here in an hour and a half or so." Logan groans at her. This is the first good sleep either of them has had in the last couple days.

Veronica gets up. "I'm going to go take a quick shower. By the way, what did you do to get rid of Dick?"

Logan laughs. "I got him a hooker."

Veronica wrinkles her nose at him. "A pretty one I hope."

"One would hope." Logan snarks.

"Really?"

Logan shakes his head. "No, I'm kidding. I found someone that would actually go out on a date with him, a real girl, not a bright one, but a real girl."

"Obviously she doesn't know him."

Logan laughs. "Obviously."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

At eight o'clock a green vintage Mercedes Benz, a brand new red Ferrari and a black Charger all pull up out front. Ryder managed to get Josef to agree to let him drive the Charger back and forth to LA in exchange for debugging Logan's house.

Mick knocks and Logan comes to the door. Mick holds his finger up to his lips and motioned for Ryder to do his thing. Ryder goes into the living room and unpacks his equipment. He smiles at them and goes to work.

They all sit in the living room waiting for the all clear sign. Josef and Logan keep studying each other but trying to do it so it isn't conspicuous. Veronica just stares at Josef out right. She'd study him for a bit and then she looks at Logan trying to compare them. Josef thinks it is disconcerting having this small blond stare at him like he was a curiosity but he doesn't let his irritation show.

Finally Ryder comes in with a small box with what Veronica recognizes as bugs. "I've deactivated them. You can talk now. I need to do the pool area and the grounds but your fine in here. Oh and I believe these are yours." Ryder hands Veronica six small bugs. "Oh, crap. Forgot about those. Yea those are mine. How'd you know?"

"Traced the serial numbers."

Mick looks at the bugs in her hand curiously. "How come you've got this place bugged?"

Veronica looks questioningly at Logan and he shrugs back at her.

"One of the boys who lived her asked me to find out who was sleeping with, Kendall, his stepmother so they could get rid of her without paying out the big bucks, at least that's what he told me."

"Did you?" Mick asks.

Veronica looks at Logan out of the corner of her eye. "Yea." And she sees him turn a little red. Serves him right she thinks.

If Veronica had looked at Josef she'd of seen a familiar smirk.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Now that they can talk it seems as though no one knows what to say or where to start. Finally Beth looks across at Logan. "Tell me exactly what happened the other night."

Logan looks back at her "Didn't Mick tell you?"

Beth smiles "Yes but I get the abbreviated version to keep me from worrying."

Logan clears his throat. "We went to get something to drink on the way home. Wallace was just about to close and we scooted in at the last minute. He's a good friend of Veronica's so he let us in so we could just jet in and out. Just as he was about to lock the door Liam and three of his buddies barge in with guns drawn. Wallace had to let them in. Then Liam hit Wallace and he hit his head when he went down and one of them drug him to the back." Beth is doing her reporter thing and getting him to talk. She realizes that if they haven't been able to talk about this or relate it to anyone but each other that having it bottled up inside is not very good. Logan continues. "Somehow through Liam's strung out haze he remembered that I had pointed a gun at him a year ago. He must have checked out who I was after that because he knew I had money. He kept babbling about getting a big ransom for me."

Logan looks down and Veronica. "I had my phone in my pocket so I called Weevil and left the line open. Liam was babbling about getting money for Logan and where we were and Weevil got the message." Beth can hear Veronica's voice breaking.

Veronica looks up at Logan. "The next thing we know, Mick and…..his friend come out of the back of the store and it's all over in a second." Logan is staring at Josef again.

Before we go any farther. "Veronica, Logan this is Josef." Josef smiles but doesn't say anything. "Now please keep going. Tell me what you saw."

Logan gets up. "I need a beer before we go any farther. We've got some scotch and beer and pop and water. Can I get anyone anything?"

Logan heads for the kitchen and brings a beer for himself and Veronica. He brings a couple glasses and a bottle of scotch for Mick and Josef. Beth takes a coke. Josef looks down at the bottle and smiles. _Kids got good taste in scotch_.

Everyone gets settled again and Beth prompts Logan to continue. Josef sees what she's doing and knows they need this. He can almost taste the anxiety coming from the pair. They really need to let this out. He watches them as they talk. Mick is right; they are very protective of each other. They may have their problems at times but it's not from lack of caring for each other. Josef tries to size up Veronica other than she's beautiful he just doesn't know enough about her. He continues to watch them.

Logan glances at Veronica and he continues. "We were standing by the cash registers when Mick and Josef came out of nowhere. Mick gets the gun away from the one guy but the guy still manages to stick a knife in his shoulder…then…then Mick's eyes get bluish white and he has fangs and he picks the guy up by the throat with one hand and snaps his neck. Then the he pulls the knife out of his shoulder and tosses the knife away. While all this is happening Josef has Liam by the throat and tosses him like a rag doll at the wall He hit the wall hard enough to leave a dent. Then the last guy turns to shoot at us. I thought we were done and Josef stands between us and takes two bullets and still manages to snap the guy's neck. Then Josef falls to the floor."

"Josef had bluish white eyes and fangs too." Veronica adds.

Josef notes that she isn't scared but seems awed by the vision of them in vamp mode.

"After it was over they told us to take Wallace and get out of there and go home and asked that we not tell anyone what we saw. We didn't, tell anyone I mean."

"Wallace was ok?" Mick asks Veronica

"Yea, we did like you said and watched him all night. Luckily he didn't have to work the next day. He's fine." Veronica answers.

Beth smiles at them. Now that the retelling is over they both seem a little calmer. "So any guesses what you saw?"

Veronica looks a little embarrassed "Well, I thought maybe vampires?"

Beth smiles. "Yes, that's right." And she lets it sink in.

Veronica stares at the three people across from her and Logan. "Riggghhhhtttt My understanding of the world is you know, there are no such thing as Vampires. Next you'll be telling us there are werewolves."

"Not since the 1700s." Josef says. "They hunted them all down in Romania. Although for the record they could change at will it didn't really take a full moon. One of the most beautiful women I've ever met was a Russian Wolfhound."

Everyone in the room turns and looks at him. Josef has an impish smile that looks all too familiar.

Logan and Veronica look at each other. Logan looks over at Josef. "Werewolves and Vampires, really?"

Josef smiles again. "Well, vampires anyway."

Mick flashes his fangs at them. "Really."

Veronica's eyes are getting wide and Logan senses along with Mick and Josef that she's starting to get a little freaked. "Beth, are you…a Vampire?"

Logan finds the whole conversation pretty bazaar but he just feels like it will be okay. He feels comfortable with them. He isn't really even sure why.

"No, I'm human, for now." She hears a low growl from Mick. "Oh, get over it." She nudges him and he just smiles.

Veronica's eyes get a little bigger "So, you want to be a Vampire, like them?"

"Yes, when I'm ready. There is a lot to give up when you do something like that so I want to wait until I'm completely sure I'm ready." Beth smiles and looks at Mick. "Then I just have to convince Mick that it's what's best, he's somewhat hesitant. Although I suppose I could ask Josef to do it for me."

Mick growls and Josef laughs "Don't drag me into this. You want to be turned you make him do it."

Beth smiles at Mick. "Oh I will."

The mood in the room is appreciably better with the quick banter between the three.

Veronica is starting to feel calmer. She realizes that these three are close friends. It comforts her.

All this time Logan and Josef have been watching each other. Finally Logan can't stand it any longer. "Why…. why do we look so much alike. Who are you?"

Beth looks at Josef and gives him a nudge. He smiles. "You'll have to bear with me. Beth has convinced me to do something I…. Mick and I don't usually do…I'm going to answer any question you have. I'll tell you the truth. Because of what we are we spend most of out lives hiding the truth from humans but in this case…. Beth has convinced me that it's the best way to go. In return you have to tell me if there is something you don't understand. Now do you still want to know why we look so much alike?"

Logan nods.

Josef tosses his drink down and pours himself another. He leans forward watching Logan. "About 10 months ago your mother came to me to ask me for a favor. In the process of asking for the favor she decided after 18 years to tell me I had a son. That's why we look so much alike. I'm your father." Josef shakes his head trying to clear it. "It's not suppose to be able to happen…a human and a vampire with a child. I've live a long time and I've never heard of this happening. I didn't believe her at first. It was too incredible. She brought me pictures and blood samples told me to have the DNA test done. I did. I mean I knew it had to be. It was the only explanation for why you and I look alike but it was just so amazing."

Logan just stares at Josef. He had known what he was going to say. He just needed confirmation. Like Josef said, it was the only explanation.

Josef sees acceptance of what they both already knew.

"You know….he…Aaron…use to tell me I wasn't his son…I thought he was just trying to make me feel worse….maybe he knew and that's why….."

Logan sits back on the couch and lays his head back, closing his eyes. He hears a growl coming from across the room. Then he hears Mick "Josef. Stop it."

Logan looks up at Josef bluish white eyes and fangs again. Josef sees Logan and immediately the fangs and eye color return to normal. "I'm sorry…when I think that you could blame yourself for any of what happened it makes me…really pissed off and an really pissed vampire is not a good thing."

Josef takes a deep breath. "Next question."

"Soooo I'm like half vampire or what? I mean do you know if I'm like you anyway besides the looks?"

Josef understands what he's asking. "When I had the DNA tests done my people let me know that there are some anomalies in your DNA. It's not exactly like a regular human but they don't know what that means either. I have a separate research group working on it. If you don't have trouble with the sunlight and you're not drinking, blood then I would say you're like me physically on the outside and that's probably as far as it goes." Josef doesn't tell Logan that one of the researchers think that Logan may turn into a vampire automatically if he were to die. He also doesn't want the theory tested out.

"Is my mother alive?" Logan asks softly.

"Yes. But I promised her that no one would ever find her. She's safe." Josef snorts. "I would rather not talk about your mother right now. I'm still pretty angry with her for not telling me about you sooner and for not protecting you from that son of a bitch. I didn't know until after she'd left what had happened while you were growing up."

Quietly Josef hears. "She did the best she could."

Privately Josef thinks that's bullshit but he understands Logan's need to hang on to at least something from his childhood that he can paint as good. At least she didn't beat him. Big Fucking Deal, at least she didn't beat him. Hell of a sentiment. He starts to get pissed again and has to push the anger down so he doesn't lose control again.

Veronica interrupts "We saw her go off the bridge. I mean we saw the video. No one could survive that."

"Yes, well. Someone who was already dead could survive it. You couldn't see Lynn's face could you? Because it wasn't her, it was a vampire that I know that owed me a favor. She took the leap and then just swam off so no body. Lynn said she thought Logan would know she was alive somewhere because she left her fathers lighter for him."

Logan looks pleased. He was right.

Veronica looks at Logan. "Those are the biggies, yes?"

"Almost, I have one more question. You don't happen to surf?"

Josef looks at Mick and Beth who are practically giggling. "Logan you are going to ruin my reputation. Yes, I surf. It's been a while but I was actually pretty good at it at one time. For obvious reasons I like to surf at night."

Josef is glad to see that Logan looks pleased. He glances at Mick and Beth. He knows he's never going to hear the end of this.

Logan nods at Veronica and smiles. He knows she's dying to get a turn. "Now you get a turn."

Veronica turns to Mick. "How old are you? How long will you live? Do you bite people? How come you've been out during the day? What else can you do besides move really fast and be really strong? How do you get to be a vampire?"

Mick laughs and finally holds up his hand. "Let me give you the basics and then we can go from there. How's that?"

"That works."

"I'm 85. I was 30 when I was turned. I will live until someone sets me on fire or cuts off my head. It's the only way we die and I will look like this forever. I don't bite people to feed." Mick gives Beth a sideways glance and a smile. Veronica notices this and turns red. The lust in his eyes is pretty evident even in that glance.

"Some vampires live feed from very willing volunteers." Mick thinks that freshie has always sounded a little condescending and doesn't want the kids to get the wrong idea since that is the way Josef almost always feeds. "And some vampires hunt their prey and in this day and age it's dangerous for all of us. Too much of that and someone steps in to stop it. We try and police our own."

Mick watches the two try to absorb it all. Shyly Veronica asks if the can see the fangs again. Mick smiles and lets his vampire lose, fangs and icy blue eyes in full view. Neither of them looks particularly spooked, more intensely curious than anything. Mick thinks it's a brand new world from the one he grew up in. He can't imagine what Josef has seen in 400 years. Mick slowly stifles the vampire and returns to his human look.

"Let's see our sight is much better, especially at night. Smell is enhanced. You've seen us heal and our hearing is much better. For instance I can hear….I can hear…." Mick stops and looks at Josef. Josef cocks his head listens intently for a minute and smiles at Mick. Silently Josef nods. They are hearing the same thing. Mick turns to Beth and takes her hands. "Hey, is there something you want to tell me?" Beth looks at him confused. Not understanding what he's getting at. Josef glances at Logan and Veronica as they watch the scene unfold before them. "Beth…you can't think of something you need to tell me?" She shrugs her shoulders. She's at a complete lose at what it is that he's getting at. "Beth, Josef and I are both picking up one extra fluttering of a heartbeat and it's coming from you.." She sits and stares at him confusion finally clearing, as her eyes get big. "Are you…are you saying that I'm pregnant and you can hear the baby's heartbeat?"

"Yes, my love, that's what I'm saying."

She smiles at him shyly. "I'm a little late but…until Logan…we never thought, never dreamed, I guess I stopped worrying about it."

Beth gives a squeal of glee and wraps her arms around Mick. Josef motions to the kids to go with him and they follow him into the kitchen. He thinks his friends need some privacy to enjoy this discovery alone together."

Beth and Mick sit in the living room and he holds her.

In the kitchen the three of them sit at the breakfast bar. Josef smiles "We have very good hearing."

He can tell by the look on Veronica's face that the whole scene just blew her away. She smiles at Josef. "I think your information on human/vampire children needs to be updated."

Josef decides he likes this small blond human. He laughs softly. "You think? They will be extraordinary parents. Mick has wanted this for so long. It's the last piece of the puzzle for him. This is another reason why you can never tell anyone about us. If it got out about Mick he would have to leave Beth and their child, never to be there for all the important things." Softly Josef continues. "It's a terrible feeling. Don't do that to them."

Veronica thinks of what would have happened if she had been forced to grow up without her own father. She shakes her head. "No one will ever hear it from me."

Logan shakes his head. "Me either."

Logan looks at Josef who is sitting in the middle. "You didn't answer the question about how old you are."

"Didn't anyone tell you it's not polite to ask how old someone is?"

"Come on Josef."

Josef doesn't want to spook them. They are doing remarkably well and he doesn't want them to think he's some how something awful. 400 years is a lot to grasp. "I'll tell you but you have to keep an open mind. I mean…I just…you seem to understand so well…I…" he trails off.

Logan looks at him "You're really old aren't you?"

Josef nods "I'm 400 years old. I was turned when I was 25." He looks from one to the other. Both are staring at him in awe. He looks down and for the first time Josef worries about the thoughts of humans.

Josef clears his throat. "We have another problem. If we are going to be, I mean, if you and I are going to get to know each other?"

Logan sees how hard this is for Josef. "Hey, I want to get to know you. I don't know about the dad thing." Logan shows a sad smile. "I haven't had the best luck in the parent department but I would like us to be friends. So there is a problem?"

"Yes, and I'm not sure how to get around it. After 400 years you could say I have more than one enemy and we have to find a way to make sure that no one thinks they can get to me through either of you." Mick and I need to talk this over. There are things that can be done as far as security in the house and such but what it boils down to is you are both going to have to learn to defend yourselves from our kind. I don't want to frighten you and most of my enemies know that doing something like this would be a death sentence but I don't want to take any chances. It won't take much thinking for a vamp to realize that we look to much alike to be anything but what we are since they will know you can't possibly be my brother, which is what I think we should use as cover for the rest of the world. If any one asks we could just explain that I was given up for adoption and we just found each other That explanation will do fine for the next 5 or 6 years until you start to look older than I do and hopefully by them we will have thought of something. How's that?"

"Yea, that works for me. Actually older brother is a little easier for me to digest at this point anyway. I know you're my dad but it's going to take awhile…you know?"

Josef nods. "I understand the adjustment, believe me. I've had an extra 10 months to think about it."

Veronica wants to lighten the mood. "You know I just realized that we know Mick is a P.I. and Beth is a reporter. What do you do in the real world? It must be something profitable judging by the clothes."

Just then the three look up as they hear the front door. "Hey, Logan"

Veronica looks at Logan "Well, that didn't take long. She dumped him in record time. Apparently she wasn't as dumb as you thought."

Logan laughs "Damn, should have gone with the hooker."

The three file back into the living room. Beth and Mick are sitting on the couch. Mick has his arms around her. They look so happy. Josef idly wonders how long it will take Mick to propose if he hasn't already. Josef smiles thinking of the bachelor party that he will throw for his friend.

Dick sees Logan and then sees Josef. "Hey who's Ferrari is that out there?"

"That would be mine." Josef says.

Logan turns to Josef "You drive a Ferrari? What exactly do you do?"

Josef smiles "Among other things I'm a hedge fund trader and I'm good at it, real good at it."

"Dude, how come there are two of you and how come one of them drives a red Ferrari?" Dick asks.

Logan shrugs this is as good a time as any. "Dick this is my brother Josef. Josef this is Dick." They shake hands.

Dick nods…"So that's your Ferrari…. Wow dude nice car."

Logan realizes that is what he likes about Dick. He just takes it all in stride and keeps going in his uncomplicated way. "Hey, I'm going upstairs. Nice meeting you all." And off he goes.

Josef sits back down in the living room and feels really calm for the first time in a long time. He'll be back in trader mode tomorrow but for right now it seems like all is right with the world. Between Beth and Logan he's not sure how it can get any better."

 **End...**

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **Well that's it. I know most people don't see the differences but that's okay. I see them and now at least it doesn't drive me nuts. I'll try real hard to get the next one online this week.**


End file.
